Warriors of War, Moving on
by Lucinda Hindle
Summary: This is the story of Harry's life after the war and the Battle of Hogwarts. A lot of Harry and Ginny romance along with adventure during Death Eater attacks and Auror missions. There path to recovery would be a long one... (PERMANENT HIATUS)
1. Master of Death

**AN: This is my first multiple chapter full length Fanfiction about what happened after the war. This is extremely canon though I might make some changes here and there.**

 **I have made Harry extremely smart and powerful too and let's face it, after suffering so much who wouldn't be?**

 **Warning: Rated T for mild swearing and mentions of past abuse. There might be dangerous Auror missions too. Oh and there also can be some…..erm…sensual snogging scenes.**

 **Disclaimer: I own a very large collection of books but sadly I don't own Harry Potter, it is all JK Rowling's.**

 **Let the magic begin!**

Chapter 1: Master of Death

Harry, Ron and Hermione made their way down the spiral staircase from the Headmaster's office. Now that the adrenalin was fading, Harry became aware of the aches and pains in his body. He wanted to go to sleep but he had an important task to do.

"We need to go to Dumbledore's tomb" He said to Ron and Hermione. Hermione nodded but Ron stared at the Elder wand with longing.

"I suppose you would want to get some rest Mr. Potter, Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley" McGonagall's voice came from behind.

"Of course Professor, but we have to do something." Hermione answered.

"I know, I just talked to Albus." She said, with a mysterious twinkle in her eyes.

"Then how did you find us so fast?" Ron exclaimed.

"As the new Headmistress of Hogwarts, I know quite a number of secret passageways, Mr. Weasley."

"Professor, we need to send someone to the Shrieking Shack, Professor Snape's body…." Harry suddenly said.

"I will. I never knew he was still working for the light side, he must have been a better actor than we gave him credit for….." She said with a sad, distant look and smile on her face. With that she turned around and went towards the Great Hall.

Dumbledore's tomb was more damaged than he remembered from the vision. He went there and carefully folded the corpse's hand around the elder wand. Just as Harry's hand left the wand, his mind went blank, his knees felt week and he collapsed on the ground. Than he heard a distant voice. It was calm but had and commanding feeling, almost like Dumbledore's used to be but it had a much more powerful feeling.

 _You gave up power….. those who are best suited for power never seek it… how much you could have achieved from all the deathly Hallows….. but you only took what was rightfully yours… you accepted death and mortality, even embraced it… you shall be rewarded to help the world after the demise of a monstrous creature, who tried to evade me in the most evil of ways…. You shall have power, immense power but use it wisely for it can be taken away as fast as it was given….. for now I shall depart but we will meet again when your time comes._

Harry was in a daze. What had happened? Had he talked to death? He will have immense power? His vision was going from blank to black and he had a strange tingling sensation in his body. Somewhere he could hear his friends calling him but he slipped into unconsciousness.

When he opened his eyes his vision was obscured by a mass of bushy brown hair.

"Oh thank god Harry, you are awake!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Don't scare us like that mate, if you wanted to sleep you can wait until we reached Gryffindor tower." Ron said.

Harry struggled to a sitting position and saw that he was still beside the tomb.

"What happened?" He asked.

"You just collapsed on the ground and you face contorted like you were concentrating on an extremely difficult spell, when we tried to take you out of that trance you fainted." Hermione exclaimed.

"Now you tell us what happened." Ron asked, helping Harry up.

"Something happened with your magical core, Harry. I can feel it. Just like power radiated from Dumbledore…." She sounded uncertain.

Harry sighed and told them about what he thought had happened.

Both looked stunned speechless. Harry just shrugged and took out his Phoenix wand and pointed it to Dumbledore's tomb.

"Come on, take out your wand, we need to repair it."

They exchanged a glance but nevertheless took out there wands and said together;

" _Reparo_ "

The tomb knitted itself together and the trio made its way towards the castle where they met McGonagall.

"Harry, I need to talk to you about Severus." She said.

 **AN: Yay! The first chapter of my first complete fanfic is complete.**

 **IMPORTANT: Severus Snape's life depends on you! Review and tell me what should I do? I can keep him alive or I can kill him like JK.**

 **This was just a teaser, the other chapters would be hopefully longer. The maximum time before I publish a new chapter would be 3 weeks. I promise I won't abandon this story.**


	2. Sleeping the day away

**AN: I got only 2 reviews and both had different views on what should be done with Snape. After a lot of debate I decided that** _ **Iwik**_ **had more of a point, after a whole life of misery Severus should be left alone to die in peace, and also,** _ **Iwik**_ **I do not plan to inflate his brain** _ **any more than it already is**_ **but the fact is I have seen many fictions where he is a total dunderhead. Well, as for** _ **smallwjl**_ **I already have a lot of material for plot so I think I will show some mercy to Severus and let him return to Lily.**

 **I am disappointed in anyone who is not** __ **Iwik or** _ **smallwjl**_ **because you read my story and didn't review. If you are an author you will surely understand how much we like reviews?** _ **Please**_ **.** __

 **Disclaimer:** _ **Hopery coppery, jiggly wiggly, selami telami**_ **, Nope Harry Potter still not mine.**

Chapter 2 : Sleeping the day away

" _Harry, I need to talk to you about Severus." She said._

"Yes?" Harry asked tiredly.

McGonagall narrowed her eyes and looked at Harry as though sizing him up but when she opened her mouth to speak she was cut off with an almost imperceptible shake of Hermione's head which went unnoticed by Harry in his sleepy state.

"It is about the proof of his loyalty to the ministry so we can hang his portrait in the office and give him a proper funeral but we can talk about it later, you need to get some rest." She said, though it wasn't what she was going to say before she was stopped by Hermione.

"Thank you, Professor. Just keep the memories in the pensieve safe please." Harry said.

McGonagall nodded and walked away briskly. The trio too continued their journey back to the Gryffindor tower. It broke Harry's heart to see a place so ancient and full of magic in such a state of ruins. The Fat lady didn't ask for a password, just let them in with a thanks to Harry to which he just smiled slightly. Upon entering the common room Harry headed straight to the dormitories without a word to Ron and Hermione but they didn't seem to mind.

Sitting on his four poster bed Harry finally felt at home, at peace. He called out to Kreacher.

"Master Harry is alive! Master Harry is alive!" He shrieked the moment he appeared with a loud crack and threw himself at Harry.

Harry laughed and gently pulled Kreacher off him.

"Kreacher, I am very proud of you, you led the house elves to rebel and played a part in saving the wizarding world, but I want to know if any elf was injured?" Harry asked.

"Only Tiffy and Jigger were a little injured but we haven't seen Dobby for a long time…." Kreacher said.

Harry sighed softly at the mention of Dobby and told Kreacher about his death. Kreacher's eyes widened but he didn't say anything. Then Harry asked for something to drink and was offered with a delicious smelling hot chocolate for which he thanked Kreacher and allowed him to return to the kitchens.

After drinking his hot chocolate he promptly fell asleep without bothering to take off his trainers or glasses.

When he next woke up the first thing he noticed was that he was tucked under a blanket with his trainers and shoes removed and his glasses on the bedside table. Beside his bed was an armchair with a change of clothes. The sky outside was dark, and checking the time he noticed that it was about 4:30 in the morning. He was still sleepy but not enough to be able to fall asleep again covered in blood, dirt and sweat. Groaning as he moved he slowly made it to the washroom along with the clothes.

After peeling of his tattered clothes he carefully noted his appearance in the mirror. His hair was shoulder length and very dirty, there was a deep gash on his cheek, his whole body was covered in bruises, the most prominent being the one on his chest where he had been hit by the Avada Kedavra. His lip was split and his knuckles covered in blood from when he had bit down on them. His ankle was swollen; perhaps he had twisted it when Tom was flopping him around. He also had a fair number of scratches from the forest and an assortment of almost healed burns from Gringotts. He was surprised at the amount of pain he was in now, he hadn't seemed to have been so battered while confronting Tom.

After taking a warm shower, brushing his teeth and mending the deep gash with a little dab of dittany he pulled on a pair of comfortable jeans and a sky blue shirt, effectively wrinkling them as he went to bed again.

The day ahead was going to be a difficult one, and he was openly dreading it, though he didn't let himself think about what this war had cost them before it was necessary.

His last coherent thought before he fell asleep again was how he had been able to sleep for the first time in many days without any nightmare.

 **AN: Please guys review. They are the only thing that encourage me to write. I uploaded this chapter in hope of attracting a little more reviews.**

 **My school is starting in a few days so my updates would become less frequent. Just try to encourage me please and give advice about the plot if you have any by reviews, I promise, the more the reviews the more the updates.**

 **(Sorry, I know that this is short but it felt good to at least be posting something.)**


	3. Lost Love

**AN: I know that this update took longer than the last one but honestly I haven't got the time. School has started again and it's impossible to get the time to even finish my homework. (Rumours are that our half yearly exams would be preponed.)**

 **Thanks to my loyal reviewers** _ **Iwik**_ **and** _ **scrappy8,**_ **though** _ **scrappy8**_ **gives short sweet reviews, it tells me that he likes the story enough to hit the review button. Of course my favourite would be** _ **Iwik**_ **, he gives beautiful advice and sometimes helps me sort out my own jumbled brain in ways I don't think even he understands.**

 **Disclaimer: I own the plot! Hey! There's a difference between Potter verse and plot!**

 **Warning: Things start going a little depressing from here, but this is war guys, you will have your fair share of tears, though I spare this chapter to one and only Harry and Ginny.**

Chapter 3: Lost Love

Harry woke up to sun rays filtering through the red curtains of his four poster bed. Sitting up, he saw that Neville, Dean, Seamus and Ron were still fast asleep. Checking his watch, he found that the time was about half pat six in the morning.

Slowly he made his way down to the common room. There was no fire in the fireplace. At first look he thought that the room was empty, but then with a jolt he realized that it wasn't.

Ginny was sitting on one of the armchairs, seemingly unaware of Harry.

"G-Ginny" Harry cleared his throat awkwardly.

Ginny jumped at the sound of his voice and turned sharply towards him. Then within a split second Harrys arms were full with a sobbing red head.

"I-I thought that…that you had d-d-died Harry! Oh, I was so scared. I d-didn't know what to think. I couldn't b-believe that you could have d-died!" She seemed to be choking on her words.

"I am sorry Ginny. I am really sorry. I never wanted you to feel that way, but it was necessary." Harry said softly, carding his fingers through her hair.

They spent the next few moments in a comfortable silence, enjoying the moment, the touch, the company and the embrace of each other after coming so close to losing it forever. Each thinking about the same thing. Thinking that they weren't good enough for the other, that there were others more deserving, both fearing rejection, stalling the moment of action.

Knowing that this couldn't wait any longer Harry gently pulled away and looked at Ginny straight in the eye trying to show her what she meant to him.

"I love you, Ginny."

When Ginny was silent for a while, Harry hastily tried to say that if she didn't want him, he would never force her to, but he never got that out for a pair of lips crashed on his.

The kiss was the most passionate they had ever shared, perhaps it was because now they knew the value of it and how quickly they can lose it. They conveyed all emotions, love and feelings in the kiss; nothing was to be said anymore, both understood everything.

They parted only when the need for oxygen peaked, slightly breathless, they stared at each other. Then Ginny leaned forward and whispered in Harry's ears;

"I love you too, Harry"

The words bought such a feeling of joy in Harry, not unlike the first time Harry rode a broom in first year. After so many months in hiding, running, filled with pain and fear, he had almost forgotten the feeling of happiness.

If the war had taught them anything, it was never to take anything for granted, for it could be whisked away from them in the blink of an eye.

"Come on, let's go for a walk before everyone wakes up." Ginny said.

They held their hands and exited from the portrait hole.

The path to recovery would be a long one, but with Ginny and his friends they would heal and another hurdle in life would be crossed.

Unbeknownst to them, on the door to the girl's dormitories, a certain red head Weasley was thinking the same thing, watching her daughter and son start the healing process with a teary smile.

 **AN: So what do you say? I just wanted to give this chapter to Harry and Gin. I know that it would have been good to have a little awkwardness and an angry Ginny but they had already lost so much and… well my reasons are clear in the chapter** _ **.**_ _ **If the war had taught them anything, it was never to take anything for granted, for it could be whisked away from them in the blink of an eye.**_

 **The gap between updates might increase with each update but the maximum time gap won't be more than 3 weeks.**


	4. Under The Oak

**AN: Well this chapter also consists of mostly Harry and Ginny. They need to be focused on after all; I already told you that this story is Harry Ginny romance story. Most chapters will be Harry POV but some may be from Ginny POV except small one liners like the last chapters last paragraph. (Molly)**

 **Warning: Depression. My first 12 or so chapters will contain full on depression before real change starts taking place.**

 **Disclaimer: Je ne suis pas JK Rowling,**

 _ **A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, someone who never read books lives only one.**_

Chapter 4: It Will Take Time

They were sitting under their favourite Oak tree, the one on which they had foolishly carved their initials.

 _HP + GW_

Ginny's hand was gently stroking the words.

"We were so naïve weren't we?" Harry asked.

"I might have been, but you weren't Harry, you weren't." She countered.

Harry merely raised his eyebrows in question.

"How can you be naïve after what you had already suffered. I agree that it wasn't as much as now, but you had already seen too much for a lifetime Harry! Seeing threstals is not a good thing at the mere age of 15, encountering dementors, about to be cruciated by a ministry official, being possessed, losing your last connection the your father, watching that bastard Riddle be resurrected!" She was almost yelling with anger, but Harry knew that it wasn't directed at him.

"Alright, alright I get it, calm down, I wasn't naïve." Harry chuckled with no mirth.

Ginny looked at him with tears brimming her eyes. She buried her face in his chest and squeezed the life out of him, and though it was hurting like hell, he didn't pull away, merely hugged her back, rubbing soothing circles on her back.

"Shhh. It's gonna be alright later. It's not going to be the same, but it's going to be alright Gin. We will get through this together." He whispered in her ears.

"I miss him." She mumbled pulling away from him and settling to a better position. Harry's one arm was around her shoulder and the other hand was grasping Ginny's tightly. Her head was resting on his shoulders.

It took Harry a little time in comprehending who Ginny was talking about but when he understood, he grasped her hand tighter.

"Even though they used to prank me too, Fred and George were the most protective of me. George is still here but at the same time, he is also gone." Ginny said.

"I know, we could have done with one of their pranks, now." Harry said wistfully.

Ginny was surprised to see tears running through his eyes, he had always been so strong but she knew that one could only take too much, the war had been the breaking point of so many people, this was the first time she had cried in a long time, she hadn't even cried during this school year from hell, seeing Harry dead in Hagrid's arms was the breaking point and remembering it now bought tears to her eyes again. The image will haunt her forever until the day of her death.

"Harry." She started.

"Hmmm"

"You won't die again, please I can't lose you again, because if you do, I will find a way to bring you back and kill you myself for breaking the promise of never leaving me ever again." She said.

"Don't worry Gin; I don't plan on dying any time soon." He said smiling.

"They will be having a memorial service on the 10nth, hopefully by that time Hogwarts would be repaired." Ginny said after a moment.

Harry instantly paled several shades.

"They don't expect me to make a speech do they?" he asked.

"You'll have to, Harry. Too many people lost their life in this war, you have to honour them, you have to know that the main reason they kept going was because you were alive, their mascot, otherwise they would have long ago broken down without hope. Hope is the only emotion stronger than fear."

Harry merely nodded. "I suppose so."

"I don't know Harry. What if we don't get through this? It's too hard, every time I think about Fred, Colin, Tonks, Lupin, I tear up. Hell even Romilda joined Dumbledore's army and died fighting, Harry. She had a little sister. Why did this war had to happen? That bloody bastard, Tom. Harry you were too lenient with him, he should have died an agonising death!" Ginny said, tears streaming down her face faster than she could wipe them.

"His Death Easter are still around Ginny, I am sure you would like a little chat with some of them? Especially Rookwood, though I think Percy took care of him." Harry said trying to calm her down by lightening the mood.

"What will happen now Harry? Will that aching pain and that gaping hole ever go?" Ginny asked.

"We will heal Gin, The hole would probably never fully close up but the pain will go, mine after Sirius went away." Harry tried to reassure her.

"I am scared about George, what if he does something stupid?" she asked fearfully.

"We will have to look out for him. It would be hard…. But isn't that what family is for? He must think about the others, there are those who will be broken beyond repair if something happens to them. We just have to let him grieve and all will be okay, it will take time, but in the end all will work out, Ginny."

"I hope so." Ginny sniffled as she leaned in to kiss Harry.

"Oi!" They heard a shout, followed by a sharp "Ronald" and a muffled "oww".

Harry chuckled silently as Ron and Hermione came into view, with Ron massaging his ribs.

"Yes, Ron?" Ginny asked in a menacing voice which told exactly what the answer should be.

"Erm… I… I am err, glad that you two are now… erm... together." Ron said awkwardly eying Ginny warily.

"You better be." Ginny huffed.

Harry and Hermione were slightly shaking with silent laughter.

"Harry, McGonagall wants to see you, she said that the minister and a few Aurors are waiting in the Headmistress office." Hermione told Harry.

"Yes, it's time that Snape gets what he deserved, his name must be cleared." Harry said, with bold determination in his voice as he walked towards the castle with the others trailing behind him, with a purpose.

 **AN: So this chapter is a little longer than the others, next is in the Headmistress office.**

 **Question: What is Teddy Lupin's full name?**

 **I won't be posting another chapter until I get 3 reviews for this chapter! Yes I am not selfless like Harry, I am a greedy girl!**

 **Request something for the future chapters and I will try to fit that in.**


	5. Truth Revealed

**AN: Thank you! Thank you! Thank you so much! I got the reviews for the earlier chapter pretty fast and not wanting to disappoint you I went straight to typing this story.(I am supposed to be doing my History homework now.)**

 **Thanks for Teddy's full name. I had Edward confused by Theodore.**

 _ **Jacquelacina**_ **, well no one knew the password to the tower now, did they? Why should the Gryffindors sacrifice their tower like this?**

 **Thanks to all the other reviewers, you make my day; I reached a 2 digit number of reviews.**

 **Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter, I would be sitting with JK in a café discussing the release of our eighth Harry Potter book. (I don't give a damn about the cursed child.)**

 _ **There is no such thing as a happy ending**_

 _ **Endings are the saddest part**_

 _ **So just give me a happy middle**_

 _ **And a very happy start.**_

Chapter 3: Truth Revealed

"I am sorry for calling you this early Harry, but _The Daily Prophet_ would resume printing tomorrow, it had paused on the day of your break in Gringotts, we have to clear Severus's name before it prints." Kingsley stated after Harry with his friend entered the Headmistress office. (The gargoyle had jumped aside in seeing them, without asking the password.)

Harry nodded and walked over to the pensieve, lifting his wand he concentrated on the memories, not all but the ones which will prove Snape's true loyalties.

Putting them in the pensieve, Harry turned around and said, "As you may have gathered from my talk in the final battle, Professor Snape loved my mother Lily from when they were children."

"And Albus was killed by Severus on his own orders." Minerva continued.

"Right, I am not showing any of his childhood memories, they are not necessary. Though they sure tell why he didn't like anyone much…" Harry trailed of in the end.

"Anyway, I don't think you should tell the entire wizarding world about his love life, his true loyalties and an explanation to some of his most vile acts should be enough."

Harry waited until they had all agreed and added one last advice.

"He never liked anyone nor do I think he cared, so don't look at what he says but what he does and the fact that he worked for the Light side."

Kingsley and the Aurors looked a bit confused at this last statement but dipped into the pensieve, Minerva just looked understandingly at Harry before she too followed them.

Harry turned to his friends and motioned them to go along.

"Aren't you coming?" Ron asked.

"No, watching them the first time was hard enough; I don't think I want to do that again." Harry replied.

With this the others also entered the pensieve.

Harry sighed and plopped down on a purple plush chair.

He had given the memory of when Severus had come begging to save Lily's life, the one in which he is grieving for Lily's death, Harrys first year, and so on. However, he had refrained from giving them the information about Harry being a Horcrux, only Ron and Hermione knew this and he planned on telling it to Ginny, no one else.

After about half an hour they came back. Minerva looked shaken and she too dropped down on another chair. The Aurors were writing something on a piece of parchment furiously, while Kingsley, Ron, Hermione and Ginny looked extremely pale.

"Hearing it… was another thing but… seeing it…. How we misjudged him… Albus always trusted him." Minerva said, probably biting back tears.

Kingsley, though he looked thoroughly miserable tried to say in a brisk voice, "We have all the evidence needed for clearing his name." Seemingly no longer able to stay professional he added, closing his eyes, "May his soul now rest in peace."

With this he and the Aurors left. Ron was muttering about how he was wrong about the Greasy Git with Hermione sending him reproachful looks. Harry turned to Minerva.

"Can I take care of his funeral?" He asked abruptly.

Minerva looked at him, she seemed to be calculating something when she smiled and nodded.

"Now, can you tell me what happened to your magical core, Harry?" She asked, it was obvious that she had wanted to ask this question for a long time.

Harry was taken aback by this question but sighed and looked at Hermione for help. Ginny sent him a confused look he just nodded and waited for Hermione to start.

"You all are aware of the story of the Tale of three brothers….." She started

By the end of the discussion Minerva looked shocked, impressed and proud; the same emotions were reflected in Ginny's eyes.

"Err, I would appreciate if you keep this information private, please." Harry requested.

"Of course Harry." Minerva replied.

They had just left the spiral staircase when they heard Minerva's voice calling from behind, she sounded amused.

"I think Miss Weasley have informed you of the memorial and hope your magic helps you and doesn't let you faint in front of the audience on the memorial, Mr. Potter."

 **AN: Please PM or review me the ideas of Harry's memorial speech. Now I am regretting ever condemning him to such torture. Please help me.**

 **The next chapter contains breakfast and Harry meeting his little godson. Any other ideas?**

 **Next chapter after 4 reviews.**

 **Is Ginny's real name, Ginerva or Ginevra?**


	6. Family and Breakfast

**(Lucy)AN: Sorry for the late update, but I had some problem in uploading it to the document manager.**

 **I got a partner for this story! I am being helped tremendously with the plot by none other than** _ **sbmcneil**_ **!**

 **Well, after some reviews and personal messages from readers I have decided to post a little late but longer chapters. The chapters would be longer and more rational due to some very helpful advice from** _ **sbmcneil**_ **.**

 **I have decided not to take chapters hostage with the ransom of reviews.**

 **Disclaimer: Disclaimed.**

Chapter 6: Family and Breakfast

"No way!" Ron exclaimed when Harry suggested that they too speak in the memorial.

"Yes way, Ron. Without you or Hermione I wouldn't have been able to do this, you have as much say in this as I." Harry countered.

"You were the one who killed him in the end, Harry! We can't take the credit." Ron said.

Harry snorted.

"Ron, stop being a prat!" Ginny said, clearly seeing through Harry's discomfort of being the only hero in the end.

Hermione, also seeing it, agreed to help him through the speech and made Ron agree with a pointed look.

"Thanks guys, you all mean so much to me, without you; I don't think that I would have been able to survive through even my first year." Harry said.

Ron chuckled, "There I was thinking that our first year was adventurous. Now that I think about it, I guess it was the most calm and happy one too, right?"

They smiled as they walked, each lost in memories. They didn't even notice when they reached the Great Hall until Harry was bought into a tight hug by Mrs. Weasley.

"Harry, dear, you look so skinny, have you been eating at all?" She said eyeing him, Ron and Hermione.

"None of you look well. Come on, let's get some food in there."

She looked all cheery to see them; it almost went back to normal, seeing her admonishing them. Though, it was easy to see what she was trying to forget by busying herself. Her eyes were red and puffy, with dry tear tracks tracing down her face.

They sat down and started eating, or in Ron's case, wolfing down there food.

Mrs. Weasley was right, they hadn't been eating properly. The idea of having regular meals was almost foreign to them.

"The total number of people dead is eighty seven out of which thirty six are Death Eaters, if we don't count Snape." Arthur told the group in general, with a grim voice. Today's _Daily Prophet_ had, thankfully not been written by Rita Skeeter, though whoever had written it was an absolute fan of Harry. He had given a full front page article about Harry.

 _ **The Boy-Who-Lived-Twice vanquishes the Dark Lord!**_

Though, it gave Harry some solace that the rest of the paper contained praises for other people and some actual information about the Battle as well. The participation of the everyday people of Hogsmeade as well as the members of the DA had also been highlighted. The DA had been working secretly in the 'school year from hell' as most people had dubbed it.

During the school year the DA healed those who had been tortured as the Carrows wouldn't allow them to go to the Hospital wing. Additionally they made several high risk rescue missions down to the dungeons to rescue students from the Carrows 'detention'. The Order of the Phoenix was described as a group founded by the late Albus Dumbledore to fight against Voldemort. Over the past year the Order had tried to keep Voldemort and his Death Eaters from totally taking over the Ministry.

The students had rebelled against the Death Eater regime by painting slogans on walls or Tributes to the Dead on classroom walls. They never gave in and tried to protect the younger students. The DA had fought valiantly in the Battle of Hogwarts too, unfortunately losing some of its members during the battle.

Contrary to earlier now Harry was eager for the memorial speech to dissipate any fear about Voldemort returning again… Harry didn't want the public to be afraid that the celebrations would be short term and that Voldemort would return again like last time. Harry planned to explain that it was no longer possible for Voldemort to return, without bringing up the Horcruxes.

While he had mentioned the Horcruxes during the fight, he really didn't want to go into details. He thought that they would have to consult with Kingsley and the new government and see what they wanted to be released into the public. There was a lot that Harry, quite frankly didn't feel was anyone's business.

"Harry." came a voice from behind Harry where he was just finishing his Shepheard pie.

He turned around to find a women standing there behind him, his hand automatically went to his wand but he managed to stifle it.

"Hello Mrs. Tonks." Harry politely greeted the regal looking older witch. His gaze was drawn to the sleeping bundle in her arms, who was undoubtedly his godson, Teddy. Teddy was currently sporting sandy brown hair, just like his father, Harry realized with a jolt.

"Call me Andromeda dear, Mrs. Tonks makes me sound old." She smiled.

"Alright, then Andromeda. When did you come here?" Harry asked.

She sighed and then spoke, "Ted left in the autumn so the Muggle-born commission wouldn't bother us. I am from an old pureblood family aligned to the Dark Lord so that provided us with some protection, not much admittedly but some. Looking so much like my sister has been a twisted sort of blessing. When Remus left, Dora…" Tears well up in the older witch's eyes. "My Dora was never good at following instructions nor was she good at waiting, I knew when she came to me with tears in her eyes… I knew she was going to fight."

Harry faltered at the thought of the Lupins' death. "I am so sorry for your loss."

He admired how composed she appeared. She had lost her husband, daughter and son-in-law in the same war leaving her with an infant to raise. Tears welled up in his eyes as he thought that he had been in much the same position at the end of the last war. A determination welled up in him that Teddy would never suffer in the way he had as a child. Teddy would not want for family. He hoped that he could count on the Weasleys to make yet another orphaned boy feel a part of there family.

Andromeda's smile turned sad as she said;

"Thank you, dear. Little Teddy here has kept me busy."

Then, as if on cue Teddy's eyes fluttered open, comically wide as he turned his curious gaze towards Harry, who gave a gasp of amazement when his eyes tuned a brilliant green not unlike Harry but a lot more innocent and a lot less haunted.

"I guess he likes you." said Andromeda, chuckling.

"He got his mother's gift, didn't he?" Harry asked when Andromeda nodded, an awful thought struck Harry, but before the words were even out of his mouth Andromeda answered him, as if reading his mind.

"No, he didn't get his father's Lycanthropy. He's had only one full moon and he slept through it soundly. I think Remus would be quite thrilled."

Harry nodded, relieved, not looking away from Teddy who was waving around making funny gurgling noises and laughing at utter non sense.

"Would you like to hold him, Harry." Mrs. Tonks asked.

Panic fluttered through him as he looked at the little baby. He remembered pictures of Sirius hold him when he was so little. How had the man become so confident in holding someone so tiny?

Seeing the panic on his face, a ghost of a smile passed Andromeda's. "Don't worry dear, you will become accustomed to it. Perhaps when there aren't so many people around."

Harry nodded as he grinned in relief. He reached down and ran his fingers through Teddy's cheek. "He's so soft."

"Have you ever been around babies?" Mrs. Tonks asked.

He shook his head as he looked at the little one.

"I shall be honoured to teach you."

He looked up at her and for the first time saw her, not her sister. "Thank you. Where would you be going when you leave?"

"At the present I need to be in my old house- the house I shared with my family." she answered.

Harry nodded "I am planning to go to Grimmauld Place; I don't know what shape it is at the moment but- you are most welcome to stay there with me, that way I would get more time with Teddy."

She looked thoughtful for a moment then said, "I think we can work something out. I don't want to deny you access to him, but I will be raising my grandson."

Harry nodded. "I have no idea how to raise a child but I would love to have as much time with him as possible."

By this time they had reached a more secluded part of the castle. Andromeda sat down on a bench and gestured to Harry to do the same. She handed him the baby and helped him to support Teddy's neck.

It felt very awkward at first, but Harry couldn't help but smile. Cautiously he lifted the baby up to examine him. Teddy grabbed a fistful of Harry's now long and shaggy hair and started examining it, then slowly his hair too, turned a very similar jet black.

"He really likes you." Andromeda laughed.

 **AN: I know it is still short, but that was all that I had at the moment.**

 **A very many thanks to** _ **sbmcneil**_ **for her wonderful editing.**


	7. Funerals and Nightmares

**AN: Sorry to disappoint you but this chapter is frankly, depressing.**

 **I know that this post is quite late but the school is really pressuring us. I don't think that there would be more than one more update this month. September I will be taking a break from writing because my exams are coming up, then I will post a ridiculously big chapter in the celebrations of the ending of my exams.**

 **This chapter is slightly bigger than the previous one, enjoy!**

 **Declaimer: Disclaimed.**

Chapter 7: Funerals and Nightmares

The next three days were nothing short of depressing. The castle rebuilding was paused to conduct the funerals. Many people were being buried in the castle grounds itself. A small patch of ground was made to be the cemetery. Remus and Tonks were being buried there. Fred was to be buried in the Burrow, where Harry would be staying until Grimmauld place was sorted out. As for Snape, Harry decided a small funeral in Godric's Hollow would suffice where after that he could lay peacefully with the love of his life. McGonagall had come up with the idea of putting up an empty grave for Sirius as well, since his body was never found, by the grave of James, for even if Remus and Sirius were best friends their friendship did not quite reach the depth of the one Sirius had with James.

That was quite the moment that it hit him, all the marauders were dead. Killed by Voldemort, all of them, directly or indirectly. The hatred for Voldemort rose even higher, but Harry managed to quench it, after all, it wasn't dignified to have grudges against a dead man, right?

Then there was the issue of the dead bodies of Voldemort and some of the Death Eaters. After quite a lot of discussion and quite a lot of truly nasty suggestions (Like throwing them to the threstles) they had decided to bury their bodies in the clearing where Harry had been hit by the _Avada Kedavra_. They would have marked graves but there would be no funeral, just the lowering of their bodies into the dug up earth, and then they would be out of sight and out of mind. Though Kingsley had been of enough sane mind to give the bodies of some of the Death Eaters to their families if they were unmarked.

The Weasleys, including Fleur, Harry, Andromeda with Teddy and Hermione would be going to the Burrow after Remus's and Tonks's funerals. Andromeda will move out with Harry to Grimmauld place, until then she too will be staying in the Burrow.

"Hi, Tonks. Wotcher? Teddy is an adorable kid, you know? Your mum and son would shortly be living with me in Grimmauld place. I will take care of him as I would for my own son. I terribly miss you, your jolly nature, bubble-gum pink hair and even your clumsiness would be missed. You were very brave Tonks and I will make sure that he doesn't forget you or Remus ever. Remus, you too don't worry, I will take care of him. You have done what you could. Now Teddy would live a war free life that you wanted for him. " Harry had said these words to Tonks and Remus on their funeral, almost sobbing by the end.

Fred's funeral was even worse, Fred and George were always there to make you laugh in any situation whatsoever, George simply didn't seem to be able to do that alone. Looking at George actually scared Harry a little. He was in the arms of Angelina Johnson and the only person with no tears streaming down his face. Though his dry eyes only made it worse. He looked like an alive corpse, or, Harry shuddered at the thought, like a person kissed by a Dementor. George's eyes were hollow, his face ashen and sunken, body drooping and he had lost a lot of weight in the last few days since Fred's death. At first he had been in denial, joking around waiting for Fred to finish his sentences, but when he realised that Fred wouldn't, he became quieter and quieter, withdrawing in himself, the only person he was seen with usually was Angelina.

Snape's funeral was quite small, only order members, Harry, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, Ron and Hermione were attending. After his funeral, Harry was left staring at Snape's gravestone beside his mother's. He was alone at the moment. People had had enough tact to leave him at his parent's grave alone, though Ginny had hesitated a bit before leaving. This time he didn't say anything to them though; his throat just got clogged up. He didn't need to say anything anyway. It wasn't the time, he knew he would come again, with Ginny and that would be the time he would really say something. Just one thing left though, he took out his wand and started carving words on Snape's gravestone.

 _Love is the most powerful magic._

He wasn't breaking the statute of secrecy, after all, many people did write philosophical things on their graves.

On reaching the burrow, Harry saw George returning from Fred's grave. It wouldn't have been a peculiar sight, but George was tucking in his wand and most surprisingly, actually _crying_ , after not crying for so long. George didn't notice Harry and went into the house. Curiosity got better of Harry and he went to the grave, thinking of offering a few words to Fred. There was an engraving on his gravestone which wasn't there before; it was definitely added just now by George. The writing on it made Harry smile a little.

 _Mischief Managed_

That day, they were eating dinner in the garden but the usual noise was missing. The meal passed mostly in silence, tears and a few mumbled _pass me the potatoes._ Though Teddy did succeed in making people giggle or smile weakly a few times with his Metamorphagus talents and baby babble.

Adjusting everyone in the Burrow was a bit difficult but somehow they managed. Harry and Ron were sleeping in Ron's bedroom. Hermione and Ginny in Ginny's bedroom, Charlie on the couch of the sitting room, Fleur and Bill were in Bill's old room room, while Andromeda was given Percy's room. George was with Percy in Georg's room.

Mrs. Weasley was kept busy with trying to take over Andromeda's duty of caring for Teddy.

At the moment Teddy was wailing loudly, in fact too loudly that no one was able to sleep. Andromeda, Mrs. Weasley, Fleur, Ginny and Hermione were trying to calm him as the males tried to save their eardrums from splitting open.

Harry went over to them and asked, "May I?"

"You may, but be careful; he is quite cranky at the moment. Try rocking him a little if it calms him down a bit." Andromeda told him as she handed him Teddy while he was sitting on the couch. He was still wary of holding Teddy while standing.

He cradled Teddy close to him started rocking back and forth. To his and everyone's great surprise, Teddy's wails turned to sobs, then sniffling until he was hiccoughing softly, all in a matter of ten minutes.

Harry suddenly remembered something as he pulled out his wand and settled Teddy on his lap. He remembered the charm from the vision from Voldemort the night his parents had died, though he didn't remember the incantation, but astonishingly, just thinking about those colourful bubbles bought them popping out of the end of his wand.

Teddy stared at them at confusion for a moment, then slowly fascination dawned on his features as he promptly started bursting them with his hands and giggling.

The women started coming out of their shock and sat down near Teddy and Harry, staring at the now perfectly elated infant. The other males except Ron returned to their beds. After ten more minutes of bubble bursting Teddy stopped and just stared at them, his eyes drooping. Harry started rocking gently again until Teddy fell asleep before giving him to Andromeda.

"Well, I guess that I wasn't exaggerating when I said that he liked you." She smiled, then everyone bid goodnight to each other.

 _Harry was in the clearing in the Forbidden Forest. Ginny was in the middle of it, tied to a pole, apparently unconscious. Surrounding them were a large number of inferi, slowly crawling forward, towards Ginny. With dawning horror he realised that the inferi were the people that had died, Tonks, Remus, Dumbledore, Colin, Romilda, Sirius, Fred, his parents, Snape and some other few people he had seen the bodies of, in the Battle of Hogwarts. He tried to reach forward to save Ginny but found himself bound in a similar fashion. He yelled at them, as they continued to crawl up Ginny's body. He started screaming as a few of them started climbing over him, biting him, and whispering in his ears that how this was all his fault…_

"HARRY! _"_

Harry suddenly jerked awake in a tangle of bedsheets, he was sweaty and shaking slightly, his throat felt raw. Ron was staring art him with concern as he said, "Nightmare, mate? You were screaming your lungs off. Silencing wards on the room though, I was afraid I might be the one who woke up screaming."

Harry didn't say anything except nod and started untangling himself. Then he stood up and said, "I think I am going for a walk."

"Don't leave the wards, I guess, there are still Death Eaters at large." Ron said. Well, Ron was developing some tact, being with Hermione was bound to have an impact. At least he gave Harry some space and went back to sleeping.

Harry silently tip toed down the stairs and went to the kitchen to make himself a cup of tea. He drank the cup and silently went outside to sit under an old yew tree. He was surprised to find that Hermione was already there.

Harry went over and sat down beside her, she gave him a startled look but said nothing. After a moment of silence she asked, "Nightmare?" Harry nodded.

"Me too. Want to talk about it? Talking helps, I guess I'll tell you mine too." She said.

After a moment of contemplation Harry briefly explained his dream.

"That dream showed you your fears, Harry, about you loosing Ginny and about all their deaths being your fault. You have to remember that it is not your fault alright?" she said, instead of pitying him she looked empathetic, which was better.

"What was your nightmare about?" He asked softly.

"I.., erm… I guess I was reliving the sweet memory of my short time spent with Bellatrix Lestrange." By the end her voice had taken a slightly sarcastic edge.

"You were bound to remember that sometime. I am glad that she is now dead. You were quite brave that day, you know, _Cruciatus_ is a truly nasty curse, if I had been in your place, I would have been defiant, not thinking up lies like that." Harry said to her.

"You have-" she started.

"In the graveyard, when Voldemort was resurrected." Harry answered her dryly.

"Oh…" she was quite for a moment and the, "You know, I miss them, I guess I won't be coming with you to Hogwarts tomorrow, I am going to look for my parents. Kingsley had provided me with a portkey to Australia, I was wondering if you and Ginny would like too? Ron's already agreed….."

"I will think about it"

Harry replied as they snuggled a little closer for warmth and watched the darkening sky.

It was good to have a sister.

 **I thought about making it Ginny but than thought about some sibling time. I need opinions guys! Should they accompany Hermione to Australia?**

 **Please guys, anyone free there, I would like some help with my memorial speech!**

 **I hate the Cursed Child so I am not taking it into account while I ask the question about if you want Harry speaking parsletongue? I guess after so many years of this ability it might have become a part of him….. Though I won't transfer it to his kids as it is not genetic.**

 **Hope you review!**

 **Bye!**


	8. Ministry in Mayhem

**AN: You know what, guys? After posting chapter 7 I was doing some serious thinking and then I thought 'To hell with opinions and to hell with canon!' I have decided to do whatever I feel like doing to Harry and the others in this story; after all they are practically, now my characters. (They are not.) Flame me all you want, I am sure there will always be at least one reader who will like my story and as long as I have even one reader, I will post stories. (Rant over.)**

 **Review Reply (RR):** _ **Dad**_ **(Yup, that's the name.) I am aware of the length of my chapters, I am also aware of my un-original plot, but I am also very well aware of how much my school is pressuring me (which answers your first criticism.) and there are simply too many after the war stories that nothing can remain original (which answers the second criticism.), though I am also aware of some things that I have downright copied from other stories which I vaguely remembered reading, I would have written acknowledgments had I remembered where I had read them. One such example is the carving on Fred's gravestone. If you want original work you can read my other stories, they are pretty good, if you want something original, but they are mostly one-shots. (Those who criticise me so blatantly, or offend me with such reviews receive such cold answers, there are better ways to criticise people, take** _ **sbmcniel**_ **) I would have sent you a longer answer and a much heated one by PM had you been a member of this site.**

 _ **scrappy8**_ **You are wonderful, though I must say that your reviews are very small and leave much to be desired, you are the only one to have reviewed every single chapter. Keep reviewing!**

 _ **Iwik**_ **Your reviews are enlightening, (in ways you won't understand.) and I would really like it if you review more.**

 **I had started writing this chapter in Australia but then I thought that there wasn't much to be done so I made Harry and Ginny stay in Britain.**

 **Disclaimer: Disclaimed.**

 **IMPORTANT! I HAVE CHANGED THE DATE OF THE MEMORIAL, NOW IT IS ON 1** **ST** **JUNE, INSTEAD OF MY AFFROMENTIONED DATE. (WHATEVER IT WAS.)**

Chapter 8: Ministry in Mayhem

Ron and Hermione had just left for Australia by a special emergency portkey, a small favour by Kingsley. The Ministry of Magic was a mess and getting an official portkey would have taken about two weeks.

Harry and Ginny had decided to stay in Britain because they wanted to give Ron and Hermione some alone time, they wanted some time with each other also. Ginny was needed at the Burrow to help Molly. Bill, Fleur, Charlie and Harry were returning to Hogwarts for the reconstruction.

Mr. Weasley was very busy in the Ministry trying to keep it going, after the defeat of Voldemort the Ministry had collapsed. Harry was glad the Minister in such times was a sane man instead of that idiot Fudge. The Auror department had suffered greatly and lost many of their Aurors. It needed more recruits as soon as possible to capture all the escaped Death Eaters.

Most people in the high ranks in the Ministry were mostly low rank Death Eaters to make sure that the Ministry remained in the power of Death eaters.

The only exceptions were Gawain Robards and Dolores Umbridge, as the Head of the Auror Department and the Head of the muggleborn legislation respectively. Umbridge along with many other people who had genuinely worked in the Ministry during the 'Dark Days' or believed in the ways of Voldemort had been put in the holding cells awaiting trial.

Wizengamot was another part of the Ministry that had suffered greatly. Many of the Wizengamot seats were empty; some had been occupied by the Death Eaters and some by people who had died in the Battle of Hogwarts. It had worked ruthlessly and unfairly during the time of Voldemort's rule. The Department of Magical Accidents or Catastrophes was almost non-existent and the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures had been passing law after unreasonable law for Werewolves, Vampires, Centuars and other half breeds. Dementors too were posing a problem for this Department.

The Department of Magical Transportation was tracking almost all apparatations and Floo networks illegally. They had had a hard time removing the curse on Voldemort's name, it had to be done by some of the most expert Curse Breakers Gringotts could give. Department of Mysteries had been working on a false research about Muggleborns stealing magic, otherwise it had been left almost unscathed like the Department of Magical Games and Sports. The Department of International Magical Cooperation was a complete mess too, they had decided to close it down for a while at first because of the problems it was causing as contacting the other Ministries and other countries where Voldemort had been trying to gain alleys had almost messed it up. Though it was decided against it and a small warning about escaped Death Eaters had been sent to the other countries. The Statute of Secrecy was being blasted. People were going round in wizarding robes and sending owls in bright daylight. These days were not unlike the days after the Halloween of 1981.

Due to the unfair laws at the present which were made by the Death Eaters were wholly dangerous if taken to heart, Kingsley had to suspend all laws. The only laws that remained were the ban for the use of any Unforgivable and killing someone or harming anyone in anyway until and unless they are a well-known Death Eater or they are doing it in self-defence.

Hestia Jones had been made the temporary Head of the DMLE.

At the current moment the people feared that Hogwarts would have to close down for a year or at least the opening would be delayed by a month. The 'School year from hell' would not be taken into account. The whole year would be repeated, no matter who attended last year and who didn't, though the seventh year students had a choice. McGonagall also had the additional work of finding a DADA, Transfiguration and a Muggle Studies Professor. The Board of Governors was in shambles.

Suffice to say, the Ministry was in mayhem.

Currently Harry was in the Great Hall with Professor Flitwick who was explaining to Harry the charm that had the ceiling show the outside weather so that they could reapply it. It had been destroyed during the Battle.

" _Quin potius pater tempestate…._ " Harry murmured for what seemed like the tenth time. It was quite a difficult charm along with the complicated wand movement. It goes without saying that Flitwick had seen Harry's change in magic and deemed him capable of helping fix the ceiling, though he hadn't commented on his magic.

After about another ten minutes of practicing they seemed ready to perform the charm. The Great Hall was empty just in case the charm went wrong and the ceiling decided to collapse even though it was highly unlikely, but better be safe than sorry.

" _Quin potius pater tempestate!_ " Harry said as he moved his wand in sync with Flitwick. He felt the magic building up inside him and reaching out. This charm was one of the most difficult and powerful. The original one had been up there since the founders' time, that was the reason many teachers had insisted that it be restored, though it was doubtful that it may ever be, but here Harry was, feeling the magic swirl inside him, the sensation felt almost similar to when Harry had first held his wand. This was the first real powerful spell Harry had tried with his new found powers, earlier he had only done mild locking, unlocking and summoning charms along with some other few. The magic flowed through him to his wand and finally came out of the tip of his wand in a burst of brilliant blue light, along with Flitwick though there was a significant difference in the powers, however it was enough and the plain stone ceiling changed to swirling clouds of a pleasant day. Harry gave a smile of triumph and Flitwick a squeak of delight. They had done it. They called the other people back into the Great Hall to inspect the ceiling. They cheered as they saw the familiar magical ceiling again and praised Harry and Flitwick for their brilliant work. Feeling a little uncomfortable at all the praise, Harry left the Great hall, thinking about Ginny, Ron and Hermione. Funny, how dependent he had become of Ron and Hermione's company. He guessed that staying with the same company for nearly a year may do that to you. He felt that a little part of himself had gone to Australia. Most of the time when he wasn't with them, he was with Ginny, who covered up their absence, but at the moment Ginny was at the Burrow, helping her mum.

His thoughts were interrupted by a loud _crack!_ The Apparatation wards weren't up yet and there were still Death Eaters who had evaded capture, so Harry's wand was at the throat of the just appeared person before he/she could blink. It turned out to be Kreacher, though. Kreacher looked a little surprised though he relayed his message after harry apologized and lowered his wand.

"Mr. Shacklebolt and Professor McGonagall wants to see you in her office, Master Harry. The password is Victory." Kreacher bowed to him and left with another _crack!_

Harry sighed a little before heading towards the office, reaching their, the gargoyles moved aside before he could even finish reciting the password. He knocked on the door and let himself in after hearing McGonagall's invitation.

"Ah! Harry, I do hope that you weren't busy?" Kingsley asked once Harry had taken a seat and had a cup of tea like Minerva and Kingsley.

It was clear from Kingsley's appearance that he had been very busy lately. Harry surely didn't envy him of the job for the Minister at such times, especially after such incompetent ones whom the public had lost their trust in. Kingsley looked to be under a lot of stress, he had bags under his eyes and looked dead on his feet. His voice had sounded strained with exhaustion.

"Not at all, Kingsley. What is it that you want me for?" Harry asked.

"Yes Harry." Kingsley sighed. "As you know, we are a little low on staff-" He was cut off when Minerva and Harry snorted simultaneously at the understatement.

"Alright! Alright!" Kingsley said gruffly. "A lot low on staff, especially Aurors, which are the most important. We need more recruits, unfortunately to become an Auror trainee you need to pass certain NEWTs which I am sure no one did this year, so I was thinking if you can help me recruit a temporary team of people, probably from the Dumbledore's Army, quite a group they are, when I had apparated to the Great Hall, I had seen no less than nine wands pointed at me, Alastor would have been proud….., Any way they can help to help capture the escaped Death Eaters. When most of the work is over, they can continue their preferred career paths and of course, anyone who wants to be an Auror would be given the privilege to start straight away as a trainee, some lucky ones may even start off as an Auror, but we will have to see their skill first. So what do you say, Harry?"

"Well, that seems to be a great idea, though I guess the recruiting will take some time, maybe after three days I might be able to give you the list….." Harry said.

"Thank you very much Harry, you are being a great help." The usually stoic Minister looked like he would almost cry with relief.

"Um, Professor? What are your plans for the next year?" Harry asked Minerva after a small comfortable pause.

"Well Harry, all students will have to repeat this school year, except the seventh years, they may as well have a choice, so I guess that our seventh year population is going to be a little less this year. Those who don't want to attend school this year can study for the NEWTs and give the exam on the first of October. The students are welcome at the Hogwarts library to study at any time…. Before curfew." She added, almost as an afterthought.

Harry smiled, thinking about what some people may had made of that loophole.

"What are your plans Harry?" she asked.

"I guess, that at the moment I'll just try to capture all the Death Eaters and then I might think about returning to school or not." Harry replied, mostly it depended on Ron and Hermione.

"Thank you Harry, I must leave now, lots of work…." Kingsley shuddered at the thought before standing up and leaving through the floo.

"He really needs his sleep." Harry said, after sighing. To his surprise Minerva chuckled. At Harry's raised eyebrows, she explained, "I for a fact know that at the moment he is doing paperwork on his desk, I also know that his tea had a delayed action sleeping potion, I don't care about the paperwork, it won't do for him to collapse in the middle of a meeting."

Harry laughed.

 **AN: Well, so this is the chapter. There would be no more updates until October, unfortunately, so I guess it's goodbye for a month. Please give me suggestions for the next chapter, it's going to be the longest yet as an exam finishing gift, my half yearly exams are approaching, wish me luck!**

 **I recently finished reading "The Fault in Our Stars". Quite an awesome book, what are your reviews about it?**

 **Please Review, they make me happy!**


	9. At the Dursleys

**AN: Hi guys! Well the exams are over! Happy Independence Day to me! (That's what we call the last day of exams.) Just wish me luck for the Shock Day! (That's what we call the result day.) Here is the promised long awaited, ridiculously lengthy chapter. Hope you enjoy it!**

 **Thanks to everyone who reviewed and helped me with the Death Eater names, they play an important role in this and the coming chapters.**

 **There are going to be a lot of Death Eater attacks, and with a lot, I mean a lot. I like a tortured Harry, so most probably he will be injured in more than half of them. After the Death Eaters are dead or captured, I guess I will take up on wannabe Death Eaters for action!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own any character except the ones that you do not recognize from the books.**

 **Check out the my new story,** _ **Excruciating Pain**_ **and** _ **Feeling Again,**_ **side stories to this fanfiction, featuring Harry and George, it shows the missing days from this story which I skipped, none of the pain is physical, but then, sometimes emotional pain is worse than the** _ **Cruciatus**_ **and believe me, I have felt it once when one of my classmate died, I couldn't handle it, I don't know how Harry and the others are coping.**

Chapter 9: At the Dursleys

"I guess that a few of us can move in Grimmauld place, Mrs. Weasley." Harry said as Mrs. Weasley started panicking about what to do with the Grangers. They had received a letter from Hermione that day that she was going to come back today by 6 pm. The letter was quite small but it was a little blotchy at places, indicating that she had been crying while writing it.

"Nice suggestion Harry, who do you think we can move in to Grimmauld Place?" Mrs. Weasley said after contemplating for a while.

"I guess Andromeda, Teddy, the Grangers, Hermione and me can go there." Harry said.

"What about food, dear?" she asked worriedly.

"Mrs. Weasley, calm down, we have Kreacher who can be an excellent cook when he wants to be." Harry said, exasperated but touched by her concern. "Alright, then off you go to make that place suitable." She said.

Bill, Harry, Kreacher, and Charlie were going to Grimmauld Place, to remove any dark objects left by Death Eaters. They apparated with a crack at the front door, Bill and Charlie got quite a fright when they saw Dumbledore's dust corpse. After about twenty minutes they were able to undo Moody's protections, though it was mostly due to Harry's new found powers being more powerful than that of Moody's. Kreacher, using his elf magic was able to identify many cursed objects and surprisingly didn't attempt to steal them if they were thrown after deemed irreparable. Though, Harry was sure to ask Kreacher if he threw anything off, not wanting to upset him. It took them almost four hours but they were able to discard any cursed object there was except the tapestry and Mrs. Black's portrait.

At the moment they were sitting in the kitchen, eating some hot rolls and drinking pumpkin juice. After some discussion they decided to try and cast a silencing charm on the portrait. Bill's and Charlie's silencing charm didn't hold up too long, though Harry's charm stuck for about two hours in which they went of cleaning the rooms and changing the linens and curtains before the air was split by a blood curdling scream. Surprisingly it was Kreacher who suggested that they close the curtains of the portrait with a permanent sticking charm. As for the tapestry they simply decided to cover that wall with a bookshelf. Finally by half past five the place could be deemed pleasantly liveable, something they couldn't have done without Kreacher.

..

Harry's vision was obscured by a mass of bushy brown hair as Hermione tried to squeeze the life out of him.

"Harry, they forgave me, I thought that they would hate me for altering their memories but they forgave me!" she practically shouted. "Harry, I missed you so much, I didn't know how much attached to you I had become until we were separated." She continued more quietly.

"Hermione let him breath." Ron said from behind before introducing Jean and Samuel Granger as Hermione pulled away, pink in the face. Harry and the Grangers shook hands.

"Harry, it's nice to meet you after Hermione told us so many things about you, we have already met Ronald here." Mrs. Granger said.

"It's nice to meet you too, Mrs. Granger." Harry returned, before showing them inside Grimmauld Place. They were baffled when the house emerged from between the two houses.

Most of the Weasleys, Andromeda and Teddy were sitting in the Kitchen. After all the introductions, they sat down to eat. Mrs. Granger let out a startled yelp as Kreacher appeared with a crack, but calmed down as he was introduced to them.

There was a lot of small talk while they enjoyed their food. Mrs. Weasley and Mrs. Granger had a lot of stories to tell about their daughter's and son's childhood. The Grangers were quite fascinated with magic and Teddy's ability to change appearance. After dinner they were shown there rooms. At the moment most of the people were sitting in the sitting room, drinking coffee, tea or hot chocolate, listening to Celestia Warbreck and making small talk. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were in Sirius old room, just sitting comfortably and enjoying each other's company.

"Do you think we should go to Hogwarts for next year?" Harry asked after sometime.

"We would have to think about it-" Ron started but Hermione cut him off. "Of course! We have to get our NEWT's to get a decent job in the Wizarding World." She screeched, indignant as if she couldn't believe that they could even consider not going to Hogwarts, but to their astonishment Ginny giggled.

"Oh, I don't think that you would have to worry about getting a job, the Wizarding World might as well make Harry the Minister of Magic."

Harry snorted, and then scowled when the thought of hundreds of fans and reporters came to his mind.

Hermione, seeing this sighed and gave him a sympathetic smile, but being herself had to say, "Still, I am going to take my NEWT's" It was said with such finality that Ron gaped.

"Hermione, but if we don't have to than why should-" This time he was cut off by Harry. "Ron, McGonagall said that even if we chose not to attend Hogwarts this year, we would have to give our NEWT's in October."

At this Ron just spluttered while the others laughed.

"So, you are coming, right Harry?" Ginny asked after a while.

It was then that Harry realised that Ginny had two years of Hogwarts left, Harry couldn't do anything about her seventh year but if he can do something about her sixth, he would. With this thought in mind, he answered, "Of course Ginny, I would like a quiet and nice year at Hogwarts for once."

"Harry Potter, a nice and quiet year at Hogwarts, what a joke." Ron snickered and Harry sent a pillow straight at his nose.

..

Harry and Ginny were alone in the sitting room now, Hermione was with her parents, Andromeda was with Teddy and the other Weasleys were in the kitchen, chattering.

"So, everything must be changed now, isn't it?" Ginny asked after a while.

"Yeah." Harry replied. Just then the floo flared up and Dedalus Diggle's face popped up.

"Hello, Harry and congratulations for the defeat of You-Know-Who!" he said in a cheerful voice, though he too, looked a little worse for wear. "Just thought to inform you that the Dursleys have been returned to their home safely, though so to say, Mrs. Dursley wasn't happy with the condition of it…" he trailed of thoughtfully, then ended the floo call by saying, "Anyway, have a good day, thought to inform you, have things to do, bye!"

"Thanks Dedalus." Harry said, before leaning back on the sofa. Ginny, who had been looking at him closely from where she had been sitting by his feet, propped up by pillows, did not miss it when his face darkened slightly with the mention of the Dursleys.

"The Dursleys were that bad?" she asked, though she made an effort to keep the pity from her voice, it wasn't what Harry needed or wanted.

"Yeah, but don't worry, I won't have to live with them anymore. I just have to go to them once to check on them and then I can forget all about them." Harry replied tiredly, rubbing his temples.

"What did they do, Harry?" Ginny asked softly after a while, Harry was quite light hearted and did not take mere dislike or some mistrust heavily, so the Dursleys had to be quite bad for Harry to talk about them like that. She was almost afraid of the answer.

Harry looked at her silently for a minute, debating whether or not to tell her, but then decided that if they were together, then they well as might not keep any secrets. Coming to this conclusion, he sighed and said, almost wary of her reaction, "They mistreated me, Ginny, hit me when I disobeyed, locked me in my cupboard or in my room, withheld food when I made mistakes and generally neglected me."

Ginny's eyes were unnaturally wide and shining as she mouthed the word 'my cupboard', at which Harry grimaced internally, he had had tried to mention it in passing but, it was Ginny after all.

"Harry….. Mistreated is not the word I would use, it was abuse." Ginny's voice was a mere whisper. How can one person go through this much? Her sadness was only covering for her rage which was boiling at the Dursleys. How could they have abused a child, a wonderful person, an innocent being?

Harry had winced at the word abused, before saying, "Err, don't you think abuse is a word too strong? Sure they hit me, but I don't have any scars, nor did I ever broke anything, besides I was at Hogwarts most of the time year after I got 11 years old and they mostly left me alone in the sum-"

Ginny had jumped up from her place and now stood in front of Harry, pointing a finger directly at his face, her eyes looked as if they would erupt in flames any second, then she said, in an almost inhuman screech, though it was pitched low.

"Don't you dare, Harry James Potter, don't you dare defend those insufferable, horrible Muggles! Ever!"

Harry had pressed himself against the backrest of the sofa, and was looking wide eyed at Ginny, thankful that she hadn't taken out her wand.

"I wasn't defending them Ginny, it was just I don't want to think about them and I don't like the word abuse…..." Harry said, hoping that Ginny won't start spitting fire.

"I am coming with you to the Dursleys." She said flatly, before pulling him into a fierce kiss.

Harry was too stunned at first to react but then kissed her back. Soon they became entangled with Ginny on his lap and Harry's hand in her hair, kissing with passion, completely lost in each other.

They were bought back when someone awkwardly cleared their throat, who sounded awfully like Mr. Weasley.

Ginny yelped and fell out of Harry's lap, Harry and Ginny were trying to disentangle them self, red in the face. Once they were in a sufficiently dignified position, with as much they could muster they looked at their interrupter. There in his full glory stood Mr. Weasley, looking a bit embarrassed himself, but had a warm, amused and knowing smile on his face. Before Harry could say anything, Mr. Weasley shook his head and said, "Ginny waited for you a whole year, I am in no place to separate you both, Harry, it's the brothers you should be worried about."

Harry grimaced at the thought but Ginny just laughed.

"Come Ginny, we should head for the Burrow and Harry, please do come for Breakfast at the Borrow with the others." With that the Weasley family left the house.

..

Harry and Hermione were sitting in the Kitchen, nursing Two cups of hot cocoa. Just sitting and enjoying the quite.

After some time, Hermione spoke, "Well, the move went rather well. I guess we will have to buy a new house for my parents. Their original one was destroyed by the Death Eaters when they found out that I was a close friend of you, and well, they are Muggles…" at that, she shrugged as if that explained everything.

"You know Hermione, there are a lot of people suffering out there, the Death Eaters did a lot of damage. Do you remember all the beggars at Diagon Alley? Not to mention War orphans."

"Yeah, it is awful." Hermione gazed down at her cup.

"Well, I was thinking about a charity, you know to help the people. I am sure people would be willing to donate once they know that I am aiding." Harry said the last part a bit dryly, even though he hated the fame, if he could help someone with it, he would.

Hermione perked up like someone had gifted her a library as present. "That's a brilliant idea Harry! Imagine the number of people it could benefit."

Harry smiled; feeling like at least something was not changed as Hermione started chattering away like she had at the start of Spe- S.P.E.W.

..

Hermione had long since retired to her own room and Harry had said Good Night to Teddy, now he was lying on his back on the bed in Sirius' old room. That was when it hit him, what Ginny had said. He paled at the thought but thought against it to deny her going to the Dursleys with him. He just hoped that they would still be alive after the end of their meeting.

He didn't know how thick the irony of that statement was…..

..

Breakfast was uneventful; Mr. Weasley went to the ministry with Harry's list of willing people for the capture of Death Eaters, Teddy and Andromeda went back to Grimmauld Place, Percy too went to the Ministry. Hermione was with her parents looking over at estates. Ron was with her, _obviously_ , Harry thought with a snort. Things were happening quite swiftly, he supposed it was good. The whole structure of their lives, personnel or public along with the government had been totally wrecked by Voldemort. Harry had already told Mrs. Weasley about going to the Dursleys that day and from the look of her pursed lips, Ginny had definitely told her something. Harry was waiting for Ginny on the front porch of the Burrow.

"Let's go." She said, breathlessly as she came out of the house.

Harry offered her his arm as she didn't know how to apparate yet and sheepishly thought that he would have to go to the Ministry for an Apparatation licence. Concentrating on the three D's he apparated with a _crack!_ to behind some trees in Privet Drive.

Ginny looked around the street in distaste and said, with barely supressed revulsion, "I can't believe you grew up in such a-a- _sterile and nauseatingly unoriginal_ area."

Harry just chuckled and led her towards Number Four.

"H-Harry?" It was Aunt Petunia looking through the doorway, looking quite frazzled.

"Hello Aunt Petunia, I came by to see if you all are doing okay." Harry was surprised to see that she wasn't looking at him through dislike or like he was something stuck to her shoes, more in confusion.

"Of course, come in, and who would she be?" She asked looking at Ginny.

"I am Ginny Weasley, Harry's girlfriend." Ginny said, her voice colder than Antarctica and her eyes like two chips of ice. Harry shook his head at this but stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

"Harry!" Dudley was standing at the foot of the stairs and looked like he had lost quite a lot of weight.

"You are okay, I heard that you defeated Lord Voldemart!" Ginny couldn't supress a snort at the mis-pronounced name but then she saw Harry wince. "The taboo, Harry?" She asked quietly, Harry gave a small nod at that.

"Who is she?" Dudley asked, seemingly noticing Ginny for the first time.

"This is Ginny, my girlfriend." Dudley gaped.

"Oh, err, never thought you the Boyfriend type….."

"You never really knew me Dud, so please don't assume anything about me, I have had a lot of that already." Harry couldn't say anything more as there came a yell from inside the house, "Petunia! Who is it?"

From the corner of his eyes, Harry saw Aunt Petunia wince at the sound, and then a determined gleam entered her eyes.

"Look, Vernon, Harry has been considerate and come to see us." Aunt Petunia said.

Harry and Ginny raised their eyes at the same time and it was so comical that Dudley had to laugh. Then smiling he leaned closer and said to them in a whisper, "Ever since we had gone to hiding, Mum and Dad had been fighting a lot, I guess Mum regrets what she did to you and her sis." By the end Dudley was no longer smiling, Ginny had narrowed her eyes and Harry didn't know what to think.

"I am sorry Harry, I always thought that you were a-a- freak, but I obviously thought wrong, we met many Wizards coming and going, they told me so much about you and the Wizarding world, I am really sorry, my only defence can be that my parents conditioned me to act like tha-" Dudley's stumbling apology was cut off when Vernon (Harry wasn't going to call that person his relation anymore.) came waddling in, puce in the face and shouted, "How dare you step into our house? How dare you _freak_!" Behind him, Aunt Petunia was looking horrified and Dudley ashamed but before he could do anything, Ginny had her wand pointed at his heart. Even if Ginny did cast a spell, it would be accounted to as Harry casting it and Ginny seemed well aware of it, so she didn't care about the restriction of underage sorcery.

"Vernon Dursley, one more word and I will personally see to it that Reeta Skeeter learns everything you put Harry through. Then you will really see what the power of the Wizarding World is. Harry is the Saviour of the Wizarding World and they would very easily torment those who tormented him, its only Harry's secrecy that is keeping them from attacking you." Ginny said in a deadly whisper that was worse than if she had actually screamed at him.

Vernon sputtered for a moment then looked at Harry and shouted, "Boy! You can't let her do her freakishness here! The Ministry won't allow it! Get her away from me!"

Harry looked at him for a moment before deftly picking at his nails and saying in a casual tone, "Why should I do that? When have _you_ ever done anything good to me? And anyway, we both are of age and can perform magic." A little lying never hurt.

"Anyway, you have no control over me now, and if I were in your place, I would watch my step, Ginny here is a quiet formidable witch." Harry continued still picking on his nails.

"Boy! Get this ruddy freak away from me!" He screamed all the louder, in an instant Harry's wand had joined Ginny's and he said, "You, Will. Not. Insult. Me. Nor my friends. Understand?"

Vernon didn't seem to understand and deftly opened his mouth to speak again when Ginny and Harry both incanted " _Silencio!_ "

Vernon spluttered silently for a moment and then clutched at his throat, turning from puce to purple with rage.

Harry looked over at Aunt Petunia who was looking surprisingly relieved, Harry asked her, "What, no screaming? I could have vanished his vocal chords for all he is worth."

"Good riddance." This time all four of them gaped, gobsmacked.

"You, err,-" Harry started.

"I have been thinking about it lately Harry, I want to be a part of your world, do what I couldn't do with my sister. I am really sorry for the way I treated you and I really regret the fact that it took us going into hiding to make me see that, and I can't do that if I continue living with _him_." Aunt Petunia said, to general astonishment but Dudley didn't seem that surprised.

"Mum, I saw the divorce papers…" Dudley started.

"Divorce?" Harry cut him off.

"Yes I have been contemplating divorce for a while now. What I ever thought normal was never normal. I never realised that _Vernon_ was the freak here, not you or Lily."

Ginny's eyes weren't like ice now, but they weren't warm either. She sent a stinging hex towards Vernon, who jumped a mile and started moving his mouth furiously but silently.

"So, you regret your treatment of Harry, then?" she asked coolly.

"Yes I-" Aunt Petunia's response was cut short when they heard four cracks of Apparation from outside. Harry quickly turned around and made gestures for them to keep silent. Probably Petunia and Dudley understood what the cracks meant and derived that it could be a possible threat, after all they had been living with Wizards for a year now.

"This is Potter' relatives house…"

"We will take them hostage….."

"Potter might not come-"

"Nonsense, I know what Potter's like, don't you remember how he went after Black?"

 **AN: So, how was the chapter? Okay, Okay, I am sorry, don't kill me! There you go!**

They sounded like Death Eaters and the moment they came across them, there mask less faces twisted into ugly sneers. Harry recognised of them as Rowle, Nott and Mulciber, one of them was probably Travers from the sound of it and the last one he couldn't place.

"Well, Jugson, I don't think we would have to take them hostages at all." The one he had placed as the unidentifiable said in the familiar voice from Luna's house, so that was probably Travers and the other one was Jugson, who he vaguely remembered from the Department of Mysteries. Harry didn't have very long to ponder as Mulciber shouted, " _Crucio!_ " Harry was just able to put up a shield around himself as Nott sent another bone breaking curse towards him. Soon they were duelling fiercely. Ginny and Harry verses Nott, Mulciber, Jugson, Travers and Rowle.

Harry had the Dursleys behind them and was throwing curses relentlessly towards the group of people.

" _Furnuculus!"_

" _Avada Kedavra!"_

" _Sectumsepra!"_

" _Petrificus Totalus!"_

" _Stupefy!"_

" _Incendio!"_

" _Incarcerous!"_

" _Expelliarmus!"_

And on and on they went, Harry was aware that a few of them were getting past them, towards the Dursleys but couldn't do anything about it. Harry was panting and sweating, the interior of the house was almost destroyed _,_ he had multiple cuts on his body and was sure that he had broken his left arm, the pain of it was blinding but the adrenalin kept him conscious enough to focus. Ginny too was duelling fiercely and they were holding up pretty well.

That was when one of Harry's non-verbal (He had been quite surprised at the intensity of his non-verbal spells when he had cast them.) tripping hex sent Nott, flying over to Rowle and when they tumbled on the way of Travers 'stupefy' everything went downhill for the Death Eaters. There was utter chaos between them, unlike Harry and Ginny who were duelling with the grace of a dancer and cooperating.

Within the next five minutes, the Death eaters were disarmed, silenced and bound. Harry turned around and saw that Dudley was staunching the flow from a cut on his forehead, Aunt Petunia was holding her partially burned palm near her chest and Vernon was lying against a wall, unconscious.

Harry had enough presence of mind to send a Patronus to Kingsley (He had learned how to from Hermione a few days ago.) before he collapsed in a dead faint.

Ginny had been quite terrified when she had heard the voices of the Death Eaters and it was Harry who had anchored her, otherwise she would have panicked. She had had a few minor abrasions and possibly a concussion with a few bruised ribs. She was looking over at the Dursley's and at the Patronus Harry had just sent when she saw him collapse. She felt her heart skip a beat as she, Petunia and Dudley went over to him in an instant. His left arm looked broken from the angle at which it was bent but that was not the reason for his collapse, rather a pretty nasty and deep cut was bleeding freely and blood loss seemed to be the problem.

Petunia and Dudley were whimpering a little but instantly got up and brought a towel. Ginny had learned a few basic healing charms in this school year, they had been particularly important after the detention from the Carrows as they didn't allow people to go to Madam Pomfrey unless any injury was fatal. She gently cleaned the area around the wound and muttered a healing charm, it did close up but left a rather nasty bruise. The adrenalin was starting to fade and she was feeling faint herself, both from physical and magical exhaustion. The last thing before she too collapsed was the sound of some Wizards Apparating and Dudley's frantic shout of "Ginny!"

 **AN: Here is the chapter. I know that it isn't that long but for me it is very long. I seriously hope you like it. I had been wanting to write the confrontation with the Dursleys for a long time and here it is! I don't like all good Dursley's, Vernon had always seemed a quiet violent man but I never go quite far, not even a belt as some people had done, just a punch or slap here and there… Though, I absolutely detest Child Abuse, how can anyone be so cruel as to hurt a child? I even have a poem on my profile on it.**

 **I know that Petunia and Dudley seemed to have changed drastically, but a lot can happen within a year. I may write a fanfiction about the Dursleys in hiding, but you may see another one named, "Dudley Dursley and the Quest for Truth" I am not following it, but it is an evidence of how much can change in a year.**

 **I had also been thinking about the charity for a while and really wanted to write a Quidditch match, so I have thought about a Quidditch game which can help the foundation by the money of the tickets. I know the idea has been taken but I would like to write it too, what do you think? Should I go on with it?**

 **Oh well, thanks to all my readers I have reached 4000 hits, only if I got even half of those reviews….**

 **You know guys, we writers put a lot of effort in writing these stories, (Look at me, writing this fanfiction when it is bloody 1 am in the morning!) the least you could do is review.**

 **Suggestions are welcome!** __

 **Thanks to my recent reviewers: Iwik, Red Garden Gnome, Scrappy8, coco29, Harrypotterbae, bsurana2 and many many others, and thank you to all those 20 people who put this story on their Alert list and 16 people who put this on their Favourite list.**

 **Next chapter would be up within two weeks.**


	10. St Mungos Hospital

**AN: Ummm, sorry? I don't think that it cuts it, this update is quite late, but guys, I have been pretty busy. Sorry again, please be free to PM me asking for updates, I will answer you with the most possible answer, by the way, I love PM's.**

 **No one said anything about the Charity so I am going to go with the flow, please don't flame me if you don't like something, I almost always ask for advice and if you don't give any, I can't take any.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't think we need it anymore, do we?**

Chapter 10: St. Mungos Hospital

When Ginny woke, she was on a bed, looking up to a young woman about in her mid-twenties who appeared to be a Healer. She spoke briskly, "Well, Miss Weasley, how are your ribs are feeling?"

"Um, I guess they are okay, they don't hurt anymore." The women, Healer Katherine (her name tag said) lit up her wand and shined it in Ginny's eyes and spoke again, "Hmm, a minor concussion, it will be okay after you drink up this potion." Then she thrust two potions into her hands. "The other one is a Strengthening Draught, you exhausted your Magical core, duelling two against five."

"Thanks…" before Ginny could say anymore, Katherine was waving of her thanks and saying.

"Capturing five of the escaped Death Eaters is thanks enough Miss Weasley, now, after you drink those, you can be discharged, I daresay that there is a whole party waiting for you and Mr. Potter."

"Harry! Is he alright?"

The women smiled slightly before saying, "He will be alright, though he lost quite a lot of blood and is in a magical sleep for a couple of hours while his body replenishes his blood. He will be discharged by tomorrow morning." With that, Katherine left the room. Ginny quickly downed the Potions, grimacing at the taste and stood up, only to sit down as a dizzy spell attacked her. This time she waited, while counting to 10 in her mind before slowly standing up again, when she was sure that the world won't do another cartwheel, she quickly put on her shoes and went outside. There she was squeezed to near death by her Mum.

"Mmpphhhh! Mum, I just got my bruised ribs fixed up!" she yelped.

"Oh dear, we were so scared when, when Kingsley informed us that Death Eaters have attacked Privet Drive." Mum said.

"Mum, what time is it? The Death Eaters?" Ginny asked, looking around, there was Dad, Ron, Hermione, Petunia, Dudley and Kingsley standing around her.

"It has been about half an hour since we bought you here. Thanks to you and Harry, those Death Eaters did not succeed in kidnapping the Dursleys as they had originally planned, thinking that Harry would come running to save them."

Everyone ignored Ron's muttered "He would."

"What happened to Dursley?" Ginny asked.

At this all of them either chuckled, smiled or smirked, but it was Dudley who spoke. "He had a severe concussion, they woke him to give the potion but the second he found out where he was, he started throwing a racket, Healer Katherine had to stun him." Ginny snorted, "Figures." Then she turned to Kingsley, "What happened to the Death Eaters?" she asked.

"You two did a pretty good job of it, we had to give them basic first aid before putting them in holding cells so they won't die of injuries. They are awaiting trial." He answered with a smile.

"We would need to put wards around their houses. There are more Death Eaters on the loose; we would have to be more careful." She said, she obviously had been terrified, for a moment when Harry had collapsed; she had though he had died, one of the most terrifying moments of her life other than seeing his dead body in Hagrid's arms.

"The wards would be taken care of. Why don't you all go home and get a little refreshed? I am sure by that time Mr. Potter would be up and able to take visitors." Butted in Katherine in a crisp voice. Ron and Molly started to protest but soon stopped as the Healer said, "What are you going to do here anyway? Mr. Potter is completely safe, or don't you trust the hospital wards? I assure you, he won't be attacked here, and he won't be waking for another couple of hours, he is in a magical sleep." She said in a voice that broke no room for argument before she bustled off.

..

As Ginny neared Harry's hospital room, she could hear a little grumblings.

"I am quite fine to go home." It sounded like Harry.

"Now Mr. Potter, do as I said or I would have to restrain you to the bed, you will have to stay here overnight." This was definitely Healer Katherine.

Ron who was beside her with Hermione snorted while Hermione giggled and Ginny rolled her eyes as they knocked on the door.

"Ah yes, they would be your visitors, now Mr. Potter I hope that you won't want to make a fool of yourself in front of them, drink up." Katherine said as the door flew open, though it didn't bang.

They went into the room to a scowling Harry who was grumbling as he drank potion after potion that the Healer handed him, in his right hand, he held his wand loosely, apparently, even after waking up from a magical sleep, he had been alert enough to point his wand on Katherine.

Harry gave a start when Katherine snatched his wand from him and handed it to Ginny, saying, "This is to assure that Mr. Potter doesn't try to use any magic in the next couple of hours as that can be fatal, he exhausted his core a lot more than you Miss Weasley and mere potions cannot cure it, as they did for you, he need a good long rest, which he won't probably get if I released him." With one glance at Harry she walked out of the room, stopping only to warn them not to overexert Harry.

Harry's eyes seemed to scan Ginny as she came closer. "Are you alright?" He asked.

Ginny smiled dryly and said, "Asks who? Yeah I am. How are you feeling?"

"Fin-"

"Don't you dare say _fine_ Harry." Hermione interjected.

Harry huffed and scowled before he said, "I am bloody tired." Ron smirked and said, "Hospital wing's your favourite place mate?"

"Shut up." Then Harry seemed to remember something and said, "What about the Death Eaters?"

"Awaiting trial. Harry, you and Ginny did a pretty good job, outnumbered like that."

Harry smiled but then asked, "What about the Dursleys?"

Harry laughed out loud as they told them about Vernon. The sound was very sweet to Ginny after the horrors of the day because somewhere, she was still terrified about losing Harry.

..

After Molly, Arthur, Petunia and Dudley had left after meeting him; Harry was left alone with his thoughts. It still felt surreal. At one moment he was taunting the Dursleys at the next he was battling five Death Eaters. He shuddered at the thought of what could have happened if he hadn't been more powerful than already due to his new found powers. He knew very well that he couldn't have defeated five Death Eaters even with Ginny's help. At that moment only he really appreciated the powers _Death_ had given him.

He wondered what would have happened if something had happened to Ginny and shuddered at the thought. Just then Katherine came in. Harry liked her; she was one of those very very few people who hadn't looked at him in awe since the Battle of Hogwarts. In some ways she reminded him a little of Madame Pomfrey, she never let anything get in the way of her profession, not even being the Boy-Who-Lived-Twice. _Well, I guess then this hospital visit is worth it if no one looks at me like that_. Harry though wistfully as he drank four more vials of foul tasting potions, one of which he realised with a grimace was Skele-gro. His right arms bone had been completely shattered and couldn't have been mended, the Healer had to vanish it. The other two were a Blood-Replenisher and the Strengthening Draught. The last one was a Dreamless Sleep, for which he was glad of.

With the thought of how lucky he was, he drifted off to a blissful sleep.

 **AN: I am sorry, I am really really sorry for this short and late chapter. Though this chapter is by no means my shortest, it is quite short, but real life got in the way, and I gave what I had at the moment. I promise the next one would be at least a bit longer than that.**

 **Anything in particular you would like to see? I have got one request by now, and I am going to include it, so you can request!**

 **Bye Bye for now, and I am really sorry.**


	11. A Day Out

**AN: Hello guys! I hope you liked the last chapter? That was crash typed, you know? Just telling.**

 **YOU KNOW** **WHAT?! (Spoiler for Percy Jackson!) Percy and Annabeth fell into Tartarus!**

 **Sorry, ahem, I just needed to get that out. That was a startling twist. (and Nico is gay….)**

 **Review Reply:** _ **horsie**_ **, you were a guest review, so I am writing it here. Um, is English you first language? I wasn't able to understand your review about prary and wrighers. Otherwise, I am happy that you found my chapter 6 cute and were excited enough for chapter 11 to have written in capitals. Hope you like this chapter. I will try to make Harry sick.**

 **This chapter had been underway from the day I posted chapter 10, so I hope this is of good enough quality.**

 **Yeah, I know that I hope a lot of things, but when you guys don't review, I can't do anything but hope.**

 **I NEED A BETA!**

Chapter 11: A Day Out

Finally, _finally_ he was out of the hospital. He was sure Katherine wanted some secret revenge on him. She had insisted he stay for another couple of hours and done another diagnostic. She had warned him not to use much magic and if possible, not even keep his wand with him to lessen the temptation. He had scoffed inwardly at that. As if! He wasn't going to part with his wand after _that_ incident.

After what had felt like an eternity, he was finally free from the suffocating prison called hospital. He had seen enough of Hospital wings and hospitals for a lifetime, thank you very much.

Then he had been then carted off to the Burrow in a torrent of Weasleys where Mrs. Weasley had stuffed down multiple servings of treacle tart down his throat, and that was _after_ he had eaten the large breakfast of toast, bacon, and noodles. All the while Mrs. Weasley had been muttering about how lucky they had been.

While he was sitting at the table chattering with the others, an owl had swooped down and landed in front of him. He did a quick scan to see if anything was amiss, and when he didn't find anything he picked it up. It was a formal looking letter with a golden wax seal which had a regal looking G on it.

Inside, there was a letter from Gringotts. For a moment, his blood froze in his veins, Harry, Ron and Hermione had broken into Gringotts. What if they were arrested? With a shudder, he started reading the letter.

 _Mr. Harry J. Potter_

 _Dear Mr. Potter, our warm regards from_ _ **Gringotts Wizarding Bank**_ _._

 _Gringotts is proud to say that most of its damages have been repaired after the war. We lost many respectable Goblins because of the careless actions of wizardkind, but our proud institution prevailed._

 _Gringotts has been actively seeking to contact you since your coming of age (31 July 1997), but by your personal efforts, we have not been able to do so. We highly recommend you to take responsibility for the Black and Potter Vaults and Estates._

 _We expect you at noon today to handle these affairs. Non-appearance will be met with our displeasure and consequences will follow._

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Gornuk_

 _Member of the Senior Goblin Council._

The letter was short and simple, no threat and nothing, but it still sent chills down Harry's spine. What will be their reactions be? After all, he _had_ broken in when no one ever had. They can't just let him go on his merry way.

The table had gone quite around him. That was when Bill spoke. "That's a Gringotts seal. What are they saying? You broke in there, didn't you? Pretty impressive, but is it something to do with that?" His voice was grim with a little bit of….. what? Was it awe? Yes, it was definitely amazement.

Wordlessly, Harry passed the letter to Bill. "Hmm, it doesn't say that you are in trouble, but I don't think that it is just about your inheritance. Would you mind if I come with you? Oh, and I would like a full account on how you did it."

And just like that the tension broke. Conversation started again, though this time it sounded a bit animated, but that too after a while evened out and the day wore on.

..

Harry was in a daze as he came out of the bank. That was a rather strange visit. It still seemed surreal. First they had surrounded him, at least half a dozen goblins just for Harry and Bill. Escorting him to the head of the Senior Goblin Council, Gornuk. Quite embarrassing to be honest, but then, they _had_ broken in there.

Surprisingly, there they had learned that the Ministry had willingly paid for the repairs of the Bank, the Goblins just wanted an explanation, a solid one. Which Harry had obliged after a little persuasion, just to give the information to the Head Goblin, and had him by an Oath to not reveal the information to anyone if not absolutely necessary. Though, he hadn't said that there had been seven Horcruxes, and he certainly didn't say that he had been one of them.

The next blow came when he found out about the vastness of the Potter Vaults and Estates, so, as he learned, the Vault that he had been using to buy his school supplies hadn't been the only one in possession, as he had feared, rather, it was only one of the many vaults that contained vast amounts of money, that combined with the Black Vaults and Estates which he had inherited with the passing of Sirius, along with the fact that the Malfoy family had been dishonored due to their involvement in the War to the Dark side, he might as well be one of the richest Wizard in History. The Potters and the Blacks had been quite wealthy and respected Pure Blood families. He had also inherited two seats in the Wizengamot, the Black and the Potter. Well, that would gain them some influence in the trials of the Death Eaters.

He had also talked about the pros and cons of starting and donating to a charity anonymously, Bill had been not been as surprised, but then, maybe he had been expecting it. Harry had given up trying to offer the Weasleys money long ago; it would do nothing but hurt their pride. He had recommended Fleur to be in charge, along with Audrey, who Percy had bought to dinner for a few nights in the last few weeks. She had seemed like a sweet but intelligent, just perfect for the charity and she was a reporter, though not at all like Rita, she could have influence on the charity with her articles which can attract donators. The War had cost them a lot, but if things keep moving in the pace they were, with Kingsley as the Minister, they might even be almost back to normal functioning capacity by the end of the year.

Or maybe not, he thought, eying the many boarded up or destroyed shops in Diagon Alley, where many of them were host to posters of missing people. Well, at least the homeless people that had been there the last time were not there anymore, he vaguely remembered Kingsley telling that they were being kept in the Malfoy Manor, as it was currently unoccupied with the Malfoys currently in holding cells. If they objected, the Ministry would shut the Malfoys up with the words 'repayment of your actions.'

 _Thank God to Ginny's Notice-Me-Not charm._ Harry thought as he passed another hoard of people milling about trying to repair the shops and buying their way through supplies to return to their normal lives after the destruction of the War.

At least, Florean was back, at the moment he needed that ice-cream. Bill said his goodbye and left Harry at the ice-cream parlor with Ginny for their date.

Ginny was so beautiful, he thought as he sat down across from the table and ordered a chocolate sundae for himself and Ginny ordered a fruit and nuts ice cream.

Harry couldn't compare the young woman sitting in front of her to the small girl who used to stick her elbow in the butter just at the sight of him. She was wearing a dark green tank top that fit her snugly with blue jeans and small lightning shaped earrings which Harry had transfigured from her very much ruined gold ones. Her brown eyes sparkled with delight as she ate her ice-cream.

Harry was staring. Ginny thought. His emerald green eyes seemed to be drinking her every detail, and guess what? She liked it.

Even with his simple khakis, blue shirt, mop of messy black hair and those overlarge glasses, Harry looked absolutely handsome. Loving him was just so easy. How could anyone not love him? Either as a brother, friend, son or partener, he was so easy to love.

He had such an aura of power over him that for the first few days, even she was afraid, he looked even more powerful than Dumbledore, she wondered what would his aura be like if he was blown into a rage. Ginny shuddered at the thought.

She was very glad to have had used the Notice-Me-Not charm. Otherwise, they would have been mobbed by the crowds. After so many days of moving here and there, helping the repairs of Hogwarts, the Ministry, missing people, and generally recovering from the war, they hadn't got much time alone. At last, now they had got a calm day (at least she hoped so) to themselves. She was pretty sure that if it had been any other guy, her Mum wouldn't have allowed them a whole day to themselves, but Harry wasn't any other guy, Mum was pretty sure that her Harry would never do anything like that, what she didn't know was that Ginny had no qualms to doing anything like that…

"So, do you think that we can have lunch in a Muggle restaurant?" Harry asked and Ginny was startled out of her thoughts.

"Sure, then we won't have to worry about anyone recognizing you. Any other plans?" Ginny answered.

"Nah, let's go with the flow, after all, when has a plan ever worked for me?" Harry asked as they laughed. Harry'' laugh was just so good, she could hear it all day, he hasn't laughed much since the end of the war, but then, there hadn't been much to laugh about.

They went to the Leaky Cauldron and bumped into two gruff guys, they stared at each other for a moment and Harry was afraid that his Notice-Me-Not charm was breached, but thankfully, they departed after a short 'Sorry' and 'Excuse me'.

No one paid any particular attention to them, though there were some few other close calls. Harry was just happy that even if someone recognized him, there were a few who shook hands with him, they never publicized the fact that he was _the_ Harry Potter.

..

The lunch had been quite nice, now they were somewhere in a deserted park, with broken swings and wild flowers growing everywhere. For Harry and Ginny, it was perfect. The sun was setting, coloring the sky in a beautiful blood red along with the purplish hues of the inky night. There were wild flowers gave of a fresh aroma which added to the beauty of the sunset.

Harry and Ginny walked over to a bench and sat, their hands entwined, just watching the sunset and talking about anything and everything, from school, to Teddy, from the Ministry to the Charity, but Teddy was featured in most of them, as they were planning on taking him out in a few days as they would be busy after school starts.

After a while, Ginny turned towards him and gave him a long passionate kiss. Somehow, in the middle of the kiss, Ginny ended up on Harry's lap with her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck, while Harry had one hand on her back, the other tangled in her hairs.

In the midst of their soft whisperings, only one thing was distinguishable, "I love you."

..

They never noticed the two pair of eyes that had been watching them the whole day.

 **AN: Yep, that's my first cliffy that I ever gave you, but it won't be revealed until after very later into the story. (Muahahahaha!)**

 **I am sorry if there are any typos, I just wasn't well enough to edit it myself and I don't have a beta. Not to say that I have been quite under the weather for some days.**

 **I am sorry for the late update, but I had some problems. Big problems.**

 **I am sick.**

 **Oh, and I am on fictionpress under the same pen name. I have written two poems and a love story, check them out.**

 **I NEED A BETA.**

 **Please Review?**


	12. The Memorial Speech (Part 1)

**AN: Hi! So, what's up? Another chapter! Yay!**

 **There may be some mistakes in there, but this chapter was already so late that I decided to update it, also, I found a Beta! TripleGtv. So, he will edit it and I will update this chapter again after the betaing.**

 _ **IMPORTANT**_

 **You know what, I am losing interest in this fanfiction, I need motivation, if you do not give me any, then, well I would have to rush the ending and complete the story. I** _ **won't**_ **abandon it; it would just lose my interest.**

Chapter 12: The Memorial Speech.

Harry was a nervous wreck.

Today was the day of the memorial. Hermione was freaking out, reading and re-reading the small paper in which she had squeezed the whole speech in impossibly small handwriting. Ron was still trying to look presentable, but the truth was, they were _nervous._

Harry Potter, the saviour of the Wizarding World, the Boy-Who-Lived-Twice, was _nervous_ , nervous of giving a speech. A memorial speech. To over a thousand people.

Soon, too soon, it was time.

Harry checked himself again in the mirror, he was wearing black dress robes with gold trimmings. According to Ginny he looked _handsome_. He didn't think so, he, along with Ron and Hermione were still a bit undernourished from their time in hiding, not to mention the battle scars. And his ever messy hair. Though, the compliment still gave him a good feeling and a little boost of confidence. However little.

Slowly, Harry trudged down the winding staircases and through a few secret passages just to kill time before they reached the entrance hall, wiping his hands on his robes he went outside, towards the Quidditch pitch.

The stands were filled with people, more than thousands of them, coming from almost all over Britain. The stands had to be magically expanded to accommodate everyone, there was a large structure in the middle of the place, though, it was covered in a white cloth. It would be revealed during the ceremony and erected in the main square of Hogsmeade.

On a raised platform stood an old wizened wizard who would make the speech, beside him, stood Professor McGonagall and Kingsley. Harry noticed a mass of red hair and went towards that direction, he sat in the middle of Ginny and Hermione, and beside Hermione was Ron, and all around them were the other Weasleys, Grangers and Andromeda with Teddy, who seemed to be changing his hairs and eyes at every second.

The wizened wizard, then spoke, his voice magically magnified with the _Sonorus_ charm.

"My dear ladies and gentlemen! Today we have gathered here not only to mourn the passing of our friends and family but also to honour them, as their sacrifice helped us have a better today and defeat You-Kn-" The man's eyes gathered a steely look as he corrected himself and said, clearly and loudly, "Voldemort."

The effect was what was to be expected, many people shrieked, screamed, gasped and some even pulled out their wands, waiting for the Death Eaters to arrive and ambush them, before they realised that Voldemort is gone and the Taboo on his name no longer remains.

He waited for the others to calm down before continuing, "Death is but crossing the world, as friends do the seas; they live in one another still. For they must be present, that love and life in that which is omnipresent. In this divine glass they see face to face; and their converse is free, as well as pure. This is the comfort of friends that though they may be said to die, yet their friendship and society are, in the best sense, ever present, because they are immortal. ***** "

Any other time, Harry may not have understood a single line of what the man was saying, but now wasn't any other time. In some sense, that was what Dumbledore had said, hadn't he? Death is but the next great adventure? The those who love us never really leave us?

"Those who all fought valiantly in the Battle of Hogwarts always knew that there was a chance that they may not survive, still they fought. For those they love and care about. We will honour them today, tomorrow and for the days to come. Always, their names and the battle of Hogwarts will be celebrated and mourned, will be written in history in golden letter, it will stay alive, our love for them will stay alive forever in our hearts and they will forever be immortal." The man continued, many people had tears in their eyes, everything was deathly quiet except for a few sniffles here and there.

He then turned towards Kingsley before muttering _Finite Incantatum_ under his breath, which was still quite audible.

Kingsley cleared his throat, and stepped forward, before speaking, quite clearly, his voice ringing out throughout the deafening silence that engulfed the pitch.

"Many people gave up their lives in the battle, we would do well to hounour them. Several people lost loved ones, I would like to name them one by one so they could be properly recognised."

With that started a long list of people, some of which harry recognised, all the names were accompanied by a one line description to honour the. Harry's throat seemed to choke up a little more with each name spoken. Professor Vector had died too, as had Michael Corner.

"Nymphadora Tonks Lupin, who fought side by side her love, and for her family she loved, a fun loving women, a little clumsy, but in the end, she fought bravely."

"Fred Weasley, a loved son and brother, who was always there to lighten the mood with a joke here and a prank there. Fought for what was right."

"Remus Lupin, he proved that being an outcast didn't define you, you can always choose your own destiny and fight for those you love."

"Severus Snape, who proved that we can change, choose what I right. He made some mistakes in the past, it's not the mistakes that define us, it's the fact that we overcame them that does, and in the end, he died a hero."

"Colin Creevey, he fought for equality, proving that being a Muggle-Born doesn't change anything. That blood doesn't matter, nor does, sometimes, age. He fought for his school, his friends and died heroically."

The list of people was endless, Harry had known that Kingsley was busy, what he hadn't know was that he had been researching on the dead people, there were about fifty of them, and Kingsley spoke about every single one of them. When Kingsley was half way through, Harry realised with a jolt that he had memorised it all, not reading from a paper or anything.

Harry slowly took out the piece of paper in which Hermione had written the speech, looked at it for a moment before crushing it and chucking it under the benches.

He looked up and met Hermione's eyes, instead of seeing the scandalised look he had expected, she smiled approvingly at him and nodded, a look of determination in her teary eyes, Ron looked a little pale but nodded as well.

By the end of the list, Kingsley's voice was a little choked up, which was completely understandable considering that he had known many of the people on the list.

He stepped aside and went over to the veiled monument, "We have all created this, in the memory of those who sacrificed for love and peace!" He said, before removing the black cloth.

It was a very tall marble slab. At the top was a small circle, in which were engraved two wands in hands, crisscrossed, and between the wands was a carved dove, a symbol of peace, between wizards.

Under it were the words, written clearly and boldly:

 _ **TRUE WARRIORS FIGHT NOT BECAUSE THEY HATE WHAT IS IN FRONT OF THEM BUT BECAUSE THEY LOVE WHAT IS BEHIND THEM.**_

Under that, written in small letters, were the names of all the fallen warriors. It was beautiful in what it signified.

After that Professor McGonagall came forward and took up the mantel, "The loos we have suffered is great, I have colleagues, friends and students. This all was done…." Harry tuned out most of what she was saying as he was too busy breaking out in a cold sweat, next, he Hermione and Ron will have to go. Now he was regretting crumpling that paper, though not quite.

"Now, all this was possible, we e got the courage to finally put together our forces and fight back, because of a reason, the return of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, they were our unifying unit. They will always be remembered along with our fallen warriors, for this wouldn't have been possible without them. I would like to call them upon here, so they can have a say in this."

Harry didn't even know who had said this, we was too busy trying to swallow as his throat felt like it was stuffed with cotton. He shakily stood up, perhaps it was too late to realise that he has stage fright?

He looked over at Ron and Hermione, both of them looking grim but determined. He looked at Ginny and she squeezed his hand in silent support. Suddenly, most of the fear left him, what was a little stage fright in comparison to the lives so many had given up?

With that though in mind, he started going down the stands, with Ron and Hermione at his either side. Still, a soft voice kept saying at the back of his mind.

 _What the hell did I get myself into?!_

 **AN: You can say it a cliff hanger or not, because even I don't know what he is going to say. Any suggestions, please? I come out blank every time I think of what Harry is going to say. The next chapter may take a little long, as I honestly have hit a writer's block. I have so many plots for this story, but I seem to have stuck at the memorial speech, once I get past this, the next chapters are going to be dead interesting.**

 **Expect slow updates from now on, maybe once every 3 weeks, and if I am in a good mood, 2 weeks.**

 *** This is not mine, it was written at the starting of mu copy of Deathly hallows. By William Penn,** _ **More Fruits of Solitude**_ **.**


	13. The Memorial Speech (Part 2)

**AN: Hi guys! Thanks for sticking up with me! I am really really sorry to announce that the updates are going to slow down to once every 2 or 3 months. I am… sorry?**

 **I just have been going through things, anyway. Glad I could get this chapter out. Reviews keep me going!**

 **Here it goes, the chapter was very terrifying to write, I get stage fright, in real and in the literary world, both, yeah, I am weird.**

 **Disclaimer: Disclaimed**

Chapter 13: Memorial Speech (Part 2)

"People called me brave. They called me brave for standing up to Tom Riddle. You all thought I was terrified, but managed to fight for the greater good. The truth is not that easy." Harry started, after a deep breath, his eyes fixed on a point that was _not_ between the audiences.

"I gave up. I thought all hope was lost, and that there was no chance. I just wanted to end it quickly, and painlessly."

A murmur spread across the crowded stands, carried by the breeze that started, but Harry forged on.

"They never gave up. They fought on; they gave their life for us to be able to stand here today. They made sure we would be able to defeat Tom. I may be the Boy Who Lived, but they are the Ones Who Fought"

This time, he looked over at the Weasleys; they were sitting there with proud smiles on their faces, tears gathering at the corner of their eyes.

After that, Ron took over, the speech was to be short, all three could sense it, but it had to carry some _impact_. "And they fought. They fought long and hard, with bravery and courage. They fought to ensure we have a future, that our kids will have a future."

Harry could see Hermione's lip quivering because she hadn't prepared this. They weren't reciting this from paper, but from their hearts, which seemed to make her nervous, but still she spoke with a confidence that made the quivering of her lips stand for nothing.

"Let us not mourn their deaths. Let us rejoice in their life. Let us not hang our heads in sorrow, regretting the past, but let us hold our heads high. Look to the future with determination to make sure they didn't die in vain, and celebrate what they did for us, what they gave for us."

His body relaxed, and he sighed. "They were the real heroes." The voice was barely above a whisper, but everyone had gone so silent, that the voice carried.

"The ones who fought." The Golden Trio finished together, amazingly.

…..

The memorial was finally over, people were hugging kissing and celebrating in general; Harry, Ron and Hermione made their way towards the Weasleys, immediately being engulfed in hugs by the matron.

After sometime, everyone who didn't leave after the memorial was in the Great Hall for a small feast. Harry was sitting in the middle of Ginny and Andromeda. She was trying to feed Teddy as Harry tried to keep him still long enough for some food to enter Teddy's mouth, which was proving quite difficult.

"Gah gu gahhh." Teddy mumbled as a small trail of drool made its way past his chin, making Andromeda find a tissue to wipe it off, and while doing so, she managed to knock down a goblet of pumpkin juice.

"Oh my." Shaking her head, she quickly got her wand a waved the mess clean.

"So, we see where Tonks got her clumsiness from?" Ginny smiled, making Andromeda let out a small chuckle, small glimmer of wistfulness in her eyes.

"'Arry, Bill told me about the charity. I theenk it eez a wonderful idea." Fleur's voice came from across where Harry was sitting, he looked up and nodded at her.

"Thanks Fleur, the war has taken a lot of the Wizarding World, and I want to do everything possible to help those affected worse."

"Yes, I will start working on it straight away. Something I can do to contribute." Was Fleur's reply as she smiled at Harry.

The rest of the feast passed peacefully.

…

"Harry?"

Harry was just sitting at a secluded part of the castle, alone contemplating all that had happened while Ginny and the others were busy.

Luna came out from nowhere and sat next to him. "Hey Luna, how are you?"

She gave him her dreamy smile and said, "I am as good as can be expected. I am happy for you Harry, I can't see any Wrackspurts around you either."

Harry welcomed Luna's vagueness, he didn't how much he had missed everything.

"Daddy says he is really sorry for what he did, and I think it was very wrong of him." She was frowning a little.

"Its okay Luna, I am not saying what he did was right, but he did it out of desperation. He loves you a lot." Harry reassured her.

"Yes, I know. He was quite afraid of losing me; he would have had no one left." Luna sighed softly.

They both sat in comfortable silence for a while before Harry spoke, "How are things with Neville?"

Luna looked surprised at his question before she smiled brightly and said, "Oh, he has been great! We went to St. Mungo too, to meet his parents. Sad what happened to them, but they love him a lot. His grandmother is a formidable witch, she seemed to like me though."

Harry was happy for Neville and Luna, they seemed perfect for each other.

"Luna, you gave your name for the people who were interested in helping out the Auror department in the Ministry, right?" Harry asked suddenly.

"Yes I did, if we were able to capture all the escaped Death Eaters before the new school year begins, it would be a nice thing, don't you think?" Luna replied.

"It would be, but there were hundreds of Death Eaters…"

"Out of which many died and have been captured." Luna reached over and took Harry's hand.

"We have come so far, have some faith Harry." She continued with a smile, before getting up and departing with a wave.

 **AN: I am… sorry? I am sorry guys I can't say that enough. I know this was a short and rather rushed chapter but I don't know what to do! I hit such a severe writers block not to mention real life getting in the way!**

 **(Real life sucks, sucks so damn much)**

 **I love you guys please don't abandon me. *sobs***

 **I would love reviews, just give them to me they might give me a headstart on the next chapter which I don't know when will be posted, I am sorry. *sigh***

 **Alsooo, my account on ficpress, check it out cuz I have posted a lot of poems there.**

 **I might change my name to Andrea Hills from Lucinda Hindle, what do you guys say?**


	14. Rage

**AN: *cough* So it's only been… about 2 months since the last update? Yes? I shouldn't be proud of myself but I am grateful that it ain't 3 months. *laughs nervously***

 **Anyway, I finally got enough courage to start a word doc and finally write this chapter, it had had been in my mind, not for a LONG while but yeah a while.**

 **I am not sorry for whatever happens in this chapter.**

Chapter 14: Rage

Harry had been in the Burrow for a visit, and was in Ginny's room. Things seemed to be going great for them, and they would start with the Auror missions in a while, which shouldn't be too hard considering the number of highly talented people who had given their names for it, along with those Aurors who were left. The Death Eaters didn't stand a chance anymore, especially now that their leader is gone.

He was sitting with Ginny on the bed, while she leafed through that day's Daily Prophet. There were a few articles about some D.E. sightings, but none had been captured as of now. The Ministry was starting to resemble what it had been before everything descended into chaos. Hestia Jones probably might stay the Head of the Department of Magical Law enforcement permanently, considering how well she was handling everything, especially with the help of Gawain Robards.

Fleur had started working with Audrey for the charity. And it seemed to be going extremely well. They had already set up a Gringotts account for the charity under the name, "The Patronus".

Harry had already transferred some 10,000 galleons to it, and as soon as it would be made public exclusively with the help of Audrey and her newspaper articles, he was sure more people would be willing to help.

Harry was so lost in thought that he didn't notice Ginny putting down the newspaper and getting up from her place and walking over to him. He started when he felt her wrap her hands around his neck and give him a peck on the nose.

"Hey, don't stress too much, okay? Everything is getting better." She said softly to him, noticing the creases on his forehead.

"Yeah, I know. I need to have some faith." He smiled at her, remembering Luna's words from a few days before.

"Harry!" He heard Mrs. Weasley's voice calling from downstairs; Ginny quickly got off him and they hurried downstairs. Mrs. Weasley was sitting on the couch along with Andromeda, her hands around Andy's shoulders in comfort. Harry suddenly got on his guard as a feeling of trepidation came on him.

Teddy was nowhere in sight.

"Andromeda. Where is Teddy?" He asked quietly.

Andromeda looked up at the sound of his voice and her breathing hitched. Her sobs subsided enough for her to choke out, "Death Eaters t-took him."

It took Harry a while for that information to sink in, he couldn't think straight. What did she mean? Took him? No, that couldn't be possible. Breathing suddenly became hard, he could hear Ginny telling him to calm down. He distantly heard the sound of glass shattering; before he realised that he was using accidental magic. He closed his eyes and tried to focus on his breathing. Raging about it now won't help him; he needed to think about this rationally.

…

Ginny was worried, beyond worried about Teddy. She didn't even know if he was alive or not, and it was a truly horrifying possibility. But there was a good chance he was alive, and had been taken as bait for Harry. Right now, she needed to calm Harry down before he burned the house to ashes, though that was unlikely.

She guided him towards the empty arm chair and sat him down, before taking his face in her hands. He was breathing hard with his eyes closed, she knew he was trying to control himself, she could hear the pots and pans falling down behind her, the lights flickering as her mother tried to fix them up as soon as possible.

However much Harry's enhanced magic was a blessing, at the moment it seemed more like a curse.

Soon after, Harry had calmed down enough, and the Burrow was quite again. No one was there except them. The others were either at Hogwarts or at Grimauld Place.

Harry looked up, and ran a hand through his hair, frustrated, before getting up and striding over to Andromeda, who seemed just as devastated as Harry.

"We will find Teddy Andy, we will find him. But you will have to help too." Harry told her. "Tell me what happened."

Andy looked up and with a determined look in her eyes, she wiped away her tears the best she could and said, "I had just put Teddy for his nap, when I heard the house wards being breached. Well, not really broken through, just the information that someone was trying to get past them. I thought the wards would hold, as they had done every other time, I went to check on the place where the alarm was coming from. As soon as I was far enough from Teddy," Andromeda's voice got shaky as her eyes filled with regret, but she continued, "I heard the wards being actually _broken_ through from the place they were the weakest at, in the attic of the house, I went up their as quickly as possible but the door lock had already been got across, the muggle way."

She took a deep breath before saying the rest, "It was too late before I realised that Teddy was alone in my room, and by the time I got there, the room was e-empty." Her voice was almost gone by the end, and Ginny could see that she was near breaking down again, and was probably beating herself up over the fact that she couldn't save Teddy.

Harry seemed to have realised the same thing as he said, "It's not your fault Andromeda, you couldn't have known that they would be able to breach through the wards no one had dared before. The question is… how did they know that the wards were the weakest in the attic?"

"I have no idea Harry." Andy said, burying her face in her hands.

Before Harry or Ginny could say anything, an owl burst in through the window, it was a normal looking barn owl with a piece of parchment in its claws. It must all have been curse free, to have got through the wards surrounding the Burrow this easily, as the owl didn't even look ruffled.

Still, to be sure, Ginny waved her wand over the parchment which had been dropped on the table by the owl as it flew away without a pause. The paper was safe, and Harry picked it up immediately. Ginny saw his face pale for a second before he looked up at her, passing the letter to her.

…

 _If you want the Lupin family to live on, you would hand yourself over to us tonight at midnight in Knockturn Alley, do some hunting for us, put in some effort if you want the boy safe and sound. And don't try to act smart with us, remember, we have Lupin._

The paper wasn't signed, but Harry was sure it was from one of those rogue Death Eaters.

The second he read the letter, a sort of killing calm had come over Harry. Oh how the D.E. were going to regret this. He was sure that Teddy was alive, but in what condition? If they had harmed him in any way… Harry didn't complete the thought; it was just too horrifying to think of.

He could see Ginny thinking under that carefully constructed mask of indifference, as she handed Mrs. Weasley the parchment who gasped and passed it to Andromeda before saying, "Harry! We have got to tell Kingsley! You can't go over there alone!"

Ginny just looked at him with a calculating look and said, "Yeah, you can't go alone, of course. Someone will need to take care of Teddy as you blast them through."

Harry smiled faintly at that and said, "Not alone, you will come with me?"

"Of course." Was Ginny's reply, "Just to be on the safer side… Ron and Hermione too? A small group would be nice, you know how much it took out of us to fight those Death Eaters at the Dursleys."

"Yes, Ron and Hermione would be great. Andromeda?" He didn't want to include her, but he knew how it would feel for her to be left out, Teddy was as dear to her as it was to him.

"Yes, how dare they take our Teddy from us." She said, and the look in her eyes suggested that she would make them regret it, the look reminded Harry of Bellatrix, a chill went up his spine as he remembered that she was her sister. She would be formidable in the duel that would surely follow as soon as they had Teddy.

…

"They what?" Hermione shrieked as she read the parchment before thrusting it to Ron.

"Harry, you are not thinking of handing yourself over, right?" She said quickly.

"Of course not." Ginny said calmly, "We are going with him, and we will make them regret ever touching Teddy."

"Well, they are screwed." Ron said as he read the paper and looked at the expression on Harry's face.

"They surely are." Was Ginny's only response.

…

Kingsley had been informed of the incident and been told not to interfere before Harry sent a patronus. Reluctantly, he had agreed, as inside, he knew that Harry would be able to handle it.

…

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Andromeda apparated into the Knockturn Alley near Borgin and Burkes. The place was silent, but Harry could feel some waves of magic coming from behind the store, and thought that things seemed to be looking quite easy for them. After walking around a bit, Harry motioned for them to quietly go behind the store, from all the sides.

Harry had put a Disillusionment charm on all of them, and the night being dark, cloaked them up pretty well. Only Harry was left visible. He had given Andromeda the Invisibility cloak and told her to grab Teddy and disapparate as soon as possible. She had agreed quite easily, after all it was the matter of Teddy's safety.

 _There._

Teddy was in the arms of a female Death Eater, held in a seemingly uncomfortable position. Harry heard a barely audible gasp from Andromeda.

The Death Eaters noticed him in the same exact moment, probably assuming that the gasp had been from him, before wide smiles of glee crossed their faces, in total, 5 of them.

Harry's eyes flitted over Teddy, looking for any injury, except for the obvious silencing charm, as he was clearly wailing without making sound. That in itself had had Harry's blood boiling but he was able to keep his magic under control.

His eyes came to rest on Teddy's cheek, which had a red handprint on it.

The look that came over Harry's face on spotting it was enough to make the D.E. realise that, advantage or not, they were pretty much screwed.

 **AN: So guys! This is actually a longer chapter than before! And writing it wasn't even hard. Wow, I am proud of myself. *self pat***

 **Life has been harsh the past few months, but I am back to writing. (No, don't get your hopes up, updates would still be one chapter about every 2 or 3 months)**

 **But I am not all lost from the world, exams are also coming up, so maybe even slower updates ( I AM SO SORRY) but I will try my best!**

 **Reviews are appreciated, a beta is needed and someone to hug while I break down from stress would be nice too.**

 **Pwease review for this soft cinnamon roll here.**


	15. Author's Note

_**Author's Note**_

I'm sorry guys, most of you all who got a notification for this story have probably already forgotten that this even existed, and for those who were holding on to the hope that I might write more... I am sorry. But i don't plan to.

Several reasons for that, one being that I have moved on to original works instead of fanfictions. Obviously this fanfiction will always have a special place in my heart, but I started writing this when I was 13 years old and I have found so many plot holes and so many things wrong with this. It feels like this was more of a writing practice than an actual fanfiction. And with real life in the way, I can't even give my original works a lot of time, let alone fanfics, and have seem to forgotten a lot of details about canonical works to get this accurate.

I might still write one shots, I most probably will, but they will be few and far in between.

I just want to thank you all for reviewing, reading, following, favouriting, and just in general being there for me. You all were some of my first ever readers when no one else supported me in my dreams and it has helped me a lot in finding out who I want to be in my life,; and I really am sorry to have to put this story on a permanent hiatus when some people were genuinely enjoying it.

(If people are interested in reading my original poetry or work, they can PM me, some of my poems are also uploaded up on my ficpress account with the same name but I might be changing that soon. Genuinely interested people can express their interests in a review leaving me a way to contact them, or PM me.)

 _This had been a truly amazing journey and I thank you all so so much._


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